FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Dietary Supplements: EC Law

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union is taking to ensure that the Government's objectives for the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the provisions of article 5 of the EU food supplements directive are met.

Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply.
	I wrote to European Commissioner John Dalli in October to raise industry concerns and I met with him on 19 November to discuss this issue. The Commissioner recognises the concerns raised and has provided reassurance that the levels will be set based on risk assessment and potential harm and take account the concerns expressed by all interested parties. No further meetings are planned at this stage.
	The Department works closely with the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to secure the UK's objectives in negotiations. However, the European Commission has yet to publish its proposal for maximum levels and discussions are not expected to resume until spring 2011.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Leader of the House for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Office of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Leader of the House for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Office of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

George Young: Of the parliamentary questions tabled to the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons between May 2010 and 12 November 2010, all 20 named day questions have been answered on the day named for answer and all 34 ordinary written questions within a working week.
	The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions. As of 20 January 2010, the estimated cost of preparing an answer to each named day and ordinary written question is £154.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Attorney-General for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Law Officers' Departments of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Attorney-General for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Law Officers' Departments of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Garnier: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	The information requested from May 2010 is contained within the following tables:
	
		
			  Named day questions 
			   2010-11 Session( 1) 
			 Total received 31 
			 Answered on the named day 27 
			 Proportion answered on the named day (%) 87 
			 Awaiting answer 1 
			 (1) Figures based on recorded data as at 22 November 2010. 
		
	
	
		
			  Ordinary written questions 
			   2010-11 Session( 1) 
			 Total received 96 
			 Answered within five sitting days of tabling(2) 79 (82%) 
			 Answered within 10 sitting days of tabling(2) 91 (94.5%) 
			 Awaiting answer 3 
			 (1 )Figures based on recorded data as at 22 November 2010.  (2 )AGO data on the answering of questions are collected only on the basis of sitting days rather than calendar days, in accordance with the convention that questions should be answered within a parliamentary working week. 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the actual costs involved in answering both types of questions, as the amount of time spent on drafting each answer and the staff grades involved in each case are not recorded centrally.
	The Treasury routinely carries out annual indexation exercises to estimate the costs of answering oral and written parliamentary questions. The latest revised cost estimate for written parliamentary questions of £154 was presented to the House in a written statement made by the former Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Sarah McCarthy-Fry) on 20 January 2010,  Official Report, column 15WS.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Finance

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effects of reductions to the bus subsidies and local government transport grant on the mobility of those seeking work.

Norman Baker: Officials at the Department for Transport are working with their counterparts at the Department for Work and Pensions to gain a better understanding of the role that transport plays in tackling unemployment. When appropriate, I regularly meet with my ministerial colleagues to address key cross-departmental concerns, but there are currently no formal plans to discuss this particular issue.
	The outcome of the spending review for local transport funding gives greater flexibility to local authorities when it comes to investment in transport. In addition, local authorities will be able to bid for funding under the new Local Sustainable Transport Fund to address mobility to work in a carbon reduction context. Guidance on the bidding process for the new fund will be published shortly.
	I expect local authorities to work in partnership with transport operators and the local community to find transport solutions tailored for the specific needs and circumstances of individual communities.
	I spoke to the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, who represent the bus industry, following the Chancellor's announcement on 20 October. They were hopeful that, in general, the 20% reduction in the Bus Service Operators Grant could be absorbed without fares having to rise.

Invalid Vehicles

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require users of all categories of mobility scooters to take out third party insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: This was a matter considered as part of the Department for Transport's consultation, launched in March 2010, on proposed changes to the laws governing mobility vehicles. We are currently considering responses to the consultation and will make a decision on whether changes are necessary in due course. The objective will be to balance carefully the mobility needs of disabled people with the safety of other road users.

Seafaring Careers

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills the promotion of commercial on-shore and commercial seafaring careers.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has been in regular contact and has attended meetings held by the Business, Innovation and Skills Department on seafarer qualifications and training. These discussions, which include industry and trade union representatives, are ongoing. Maritime sector qualifications will shortly be included in the Qualifications and Credit Framework.

Severn River Crossing: Tolls

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the level of tolls on the Severn Crossing.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport has met with the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Economy and Transport for Wales, where the Severn bridges were discussed in general.

Transport: Finance

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he made of his Department's  (a) combined capital and revenue funding for local transport,  (b) capital funding for local transport,  (c) revenue funding for local transport,  (d) Integrated Transport Block and  (e) major schemes funding for (i) 2010-11 (A) prior to and (B) after his Department's in-year spending reductions, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) each of the subsequent two years.

Norman Baker: The following table sets out the level of funding provided to local authorities from 2010-11 to 2014-15:
	
		
			  Local transport funding 2010-11 to 2014-15 
			  £ million 
			   2010-11 
			   Pre-reduction  Post-reduction( 1)  2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 Total capital funding(2) 2,145 1,874 1,554 1,503 1,465 1,664 
			  Of which:   
			 Integrated Transport Block 602 451 300 320 320 450 
			  Of which:   
			 Major schemes 555 494 418 364 335 427 
			 Total resource funding(3) 486 449 378 401 413 420 
			 Total 2,631 2,323 1,932 1,904 1,878 2,084 
			 (1) Resource funding figures for each year reflect amounts paid or available to local authorities and include some changes in composition. (2) Maintenance figures within the overall capital and resource total funding figures exclude emergency funding following severe weather. (3) Resource figures include funding which will transfer to CLG budgets from 2011-12.  Notes: 1. The Department's resource allocation for 2010-11 to local authorities for schemes being delivered through the private finance initiative (PFI) is £170 million. Following the spending review the Department announced that the resource allocation for local authority PFI projects 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 will be £195 million, £239 million, £311 million and £320 million. These figures are not included in the table as they are not directly comparable with previous arrangements. 2. All specific rail grants (excluding funding for the Nexus Metro) are excluded from the table. 
		
	
	In addition to the capital funding shown in the table above, Department for Transport is contributing around a third of the funding for the coalition Government's £1.4 billion regional growth fund. The fund aims to stimulate sustainable economic growth, led by the private sector.
	Separate arrangements are in place for funding Transport for London. Prior to in-year savings, funding for TfL in 2010-11 consisted of:
	GLA transport grant of £2,871,589,000
	Two capital grants towards costs associated with the former Metronet PPP, totalling £392,500,000
	London Overground grant of £24,932,347
	A small number of other smaller payments
	As a result of in-year savings, total funding for TfL in 2010-11 was reduced by £108 million.
	The Secretary of State set out his intentions in relation to funding for Transport for London for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15 in a letter to the Mayor of London dated 20 October. This letter has been published on the Department's website at
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/letters/tflfunding/

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Angola: Land Mines

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what reports he has received of the number of fatalities as a result of landmine explosions in the areas of Angola in respect of which his Department funded mine clearance in the last five years;
	(2)  how many mines were cleared in each area of Angola in respect of which his Department funded mine clearance in the last five years;
	(3)  which areas of Angola will be affected by the implementation of his decision to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in that country;
	(4)  for what reasons he decided to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in Angola;
	(5)  what impact assessment he has undertaken of his proposal to end his Department's funding for mine clearance in Angola.

Alan Duncan: Mine clearance programmes in Angola funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) cleared around 6,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines in 2005, 8,000 in 2006, 11,500 in 2007, 12,000 in 2008 and 7,000 in 2009. From 2009, work was concentrated in Kuando Kubango province, with smaller programmes in Bie, Huambo and Benguela. In addition DFID has funded clearance in Moxico province, clearing a further 3,059 items in 2009-10.
	The demining work DFID has supported in Angola has made large areas of land accessible to local civilian populations. It is our assessment that the majority of mines remaining in Angola are in more remote areas where there is less impact on civilian populations. Angola's Inter-sectoral Commission on Demining and Humanitarian Assistance (CNIDAH) reported that annual casualties decreased from around 250 per year in 2002-05 to around 50 by 2008. Landmine Monitor 2010 identified 28 casualties in Angola, a relatively small percentage of the worldwide total of 3,956.
	While there is still work to be done, Angola is a middle income country, with national authorities that are well placed to complete this work. Our work aims to support demining that contributes to development, help governments assume increasing responsibility for resolving problems caused by mines and improve value for money through increased efficiency. Ceasing funding to Angola will allow us to allocate more resources to mine-affected countries where our funding will have greater development impact.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions (PQs) for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	Between 18 May 2010 and 18 November 2010 the Department for International Development (DFID) received 426 ordinary written PQs, of which 406 were answered within five sitting days. All ordinary written PQs answered after the five sitting day deadline were answered within 14 days. 13 ordinary written PQs tabled between 12 May and 12 November remained unanswered on 18 November, of which 12 were answered within the five sitting day deadline and one was answered late after seven sitting days.
	DFID has not made an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering an ordinary written PQ on the day named for answer. Her Majesty's Treasury estimates the average cost of answering a written question to be £154.
	During the current parliamentary Session, DFID has answered 96% of all ordinary written PQ on time, within five sitting days. Efforts are in place to achieve 100%.

Developing Countries: Education

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to meet the commitment in the Coalition Agreement to focus on children with disabilities in the Government's work to expand access to education.

Alan Duncan: The Coalition Government are committed to helping achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for education, and as we stated in "The Coalition: Our Programme for Government" we will prioritise aid spending on programmes to ensure that everyone has access to education; including recognising the rights of children with disabilities.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently reviewing its entire aid programme to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer. These reviews will inform our ongoing policy, including that on education for children with disabilities.
	In the meantime DFID recently published a Guidance Note on inclusive education for children with disabilities in developing countries. This note, which is available on the DFID website, offers practical suggestions on how children with disabilities can be supported in their access to education.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to help developing countries expand access to free healthcare; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Promoting health and human well-being is at the heart of the UK Government's approach to international development. Nobody should die or suffer ill-health because they are too poor to afford treatment. That is why the British Government support international efforts to achieve universal coverage of basic health services.
	The Department for International Development is helping many developing countries to make health care free at the point of use by introducing fair health financing systems. For example, in Sierra Leone the UK has supported the launch of free health care for children under the age of five, and for pregnant and breastfeeding women. We will also support the World Health Organisation to help countries implement the recommendations on equitable health financing strategies of this year's World Health Report.

Developing Countries: Water

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on ensuring that those delivering his Department's water and sewerage projects in developing countries use  (a) appropriate,  (b) affordable and  (c) sustainable technologies.

Alan Duncan: The technology used in the water and sanitation programmes funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) is based on what works in each specific situation, taking into account technical, economic, social and institutional factors. The choice of technology is primarily determined by our developing country partner.
	Technology is selected according to its appropriateness. It must meet national guidelines and local users requirements; demonstrate affordability in terms of both the capital and recurrent costs; and sustainability. This means that the technology can be easily managed by users with limited external support, does not require significant energy inputs, is registered in the public domain, can be manufactured or constructed by local private providers, and is available in the local market.

Developing Countries: Water

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government plans to take to ensure efficiency and transparency in the distribution of its budgets for clean water and sanitation provision in developing countries; and what steps it plans to take in such distribution to  (a) minimise opportunities for corruption and  (b) maximise the effect of such funding on vulnerable people.

Alan Duncan: Under the new UK Aid Transparency Guarantee, we will publish full and detailed information on all new projects and programmes, including those on water and sanitation. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact will also independently evaluate the effectiveness of our programmes.
	Our water and sanitation programmes are implemented in accordance with the Department for International Development's (DFID's) policies that seek to protect our funds by: assessing the national, sectoral and project specific risks carefully, this assessment then being checked by external experts; ensuring that partner governments have a credible reform programme to improve their systems and providing technical support to help them; and using safeguards to prevent the misuse of funds, including regular audit procedures.
	In programming our work in the water and sanitation sector we especially target the delivery of services to the poorest and most vulnerable people in the poorest countries.

Developing Countries: Water

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to take steps to ensure that information on  (a) expenditure and  (b) outcomes of expenditure by the water sector in delivering clean water and sanitation in developing countries is made publicly available.

Alan Duncan: Under the new UK Aid Transparency Guarantee, we will publish full and detailed information on all new projects and programmes, including those on water and sanitation. In addition, the Department for International Development's (DFID) Business Plan 2011-15 commits to publish data on a regular basis against a sanitation impact indicator. The Business Plan is available on the DFID website and in the Library of the House.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects his Department to complete its plans to implement the in-service elements of the recommendations of the Murrison Report; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the plans.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence's business plan commits the Department to develop its plans to implement the in-service recommendations made by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) in his report "Fighting Fit" by December 2010. Copies were placed in the Library earlier this month and it is also available on the MOD's website:
	http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/88EA12B8-E08F-4EE4-9963-AFF82DBC665B/0/20101108_mod_business_plan_final.pdf
	A summary of progress with the main recommendations is as follows.
	The King's Centre for Military Health Research has secured funding for research aimed at identifying a possible screening tool for post-traumatic stress disorder. We aim to carry out a three-month trial of the processes for introducing enhanced mental health surveillance during routine medicals, starting in April 2011. Within the same time scale, we will be enabling access to military departments of community mental health for personnel leaving the armed forces for up to six months following discharge. Finally, the development of an online early intervention portal for both serving personnel and ex-service personnel is being led by the Department of Health, with full assistance from MOD.
	We are examining the best way to take forward the other measures contained within the report alongside the Department of Health.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on veterans' pensions for veterans  (a) based in the UK and  (b) living abroad in the last five years for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) is the occupational pension scheme for the services including the reserves. The War Pension Scheme (WPS) provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as result of service before 6 April 2005. From this date, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) was introduced.
	The amount paid under the War Pension Scheme is in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  UK  Overseas 
			 2006-07 983 55 
			 2007-08 961 54 
			 2008-09 949 51 
			 2009-10 930 51 
		
	
	Information on AFPS and AFCS spend split UK or overseas is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Astute Class Submarines

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the in-service date is of the seventh Astute-class submarine.

Peter Luff: On 19 October 2010, the strategic defence and security review (SDSR) (Cm7948) committed the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to purchase a total of seven Astute class submarines. It also stated that the MOD will work with British industry to improve efficiency and optimise to expected demand its capacity to build and support submarines.
	The outcome of this work will inform the procurement costs and in-service dates for the Astute class submarines, including Boat 7. It will not be possible to confirm this information until it has been approved through the MOD's and HM Treasury's formal investment approvals processes at Main Gate.

Christmas

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department  (a) has spent and  (b) plans to spend on (i) the purchase of Christmas trees, (ii) the purchase of Christmas decorations and (iii) Christmas parties in 2010.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 16 November 2010
	This response covers the Department and its agencies, but excludes trading funds which are outside the Ministry of Defence's departmental boundary for financial reporting purposes.
	Most areas of MOD have reported no spend or planned spend on Christmas-related activities in 2010. The Land Forces Top Level Budget has identified expenditure of nearly £7,000 on Christmas-related lunches for junior ranks and other similar events and just over £300 on decorations. This expenditure relates to Christmas 2009 and Christmas 2010.

Defence: Expenditure

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the senior responsible owner (SRO) is for each of the major defence projects reported on by the National Audit Office in its 2010 report; on what date each SRO was appointed in respect of each project; and whether any such project has not had an SRO during any period since its inception.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 19 November 2010
	The role of the senior responsible owner (SRO) is to ensure that a programme or project meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits. The normal assumption is that the role will be undertaken as part of an existing post.
	In regards to the UK Military Flying Training System, the Permanent Secretary appointed Air Marshal Andrew Pulford as SRO on 3 November 2010, in succession to Air Marshal Simon Bryant, in recognition of the project's continuing status as a significant Ministry of Defence Business Change programme. This appointment is in addition to Air Marshal Pulford's duties as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel for the Air Force.
	The other projects reported on in MPR10 form part of wider Capability Change Programmes, to which the Heads of Capability, under the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Capability) fulfil the equivalent SRO role, in addition to their other duties. A summary of relevant dates is contained in the table.
	Given that the inception of the projects within MPRI0 was a significant time ago, the cost of establishing whether there has ever been a gap in succession of SRO role between named individuals could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Summary of dates 
			  Individual in SRO role  Relevant projects/programmes  Date( 1) 
			 Air Deputy C-in-C Personnel-Air Marshal Andrew Pulford UK Military Flying Training System 3 November 2010 
			 Head of Capability, Deep Target Attack-Air Vice Marshal Phil Osborn (to be replaced imminently by Air Commodore Mark Roberts) Combat Air and Complex Weapons Programmes including: JCA, Typhoon Tornado Capability Development, BVRAAM and IFPA. 29 October 2009 
			 Head of Capability, Above Water-Commodore Simon Kings Maritime Platforms Programme including: Type 45 and Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier. 19 April 2010 
			 Head of Capability, Underwater-Air Commodore Jerry Kessell Underwater Platforms and Anti Submarine Warfare Programmes including: Astute, Merlin CSP and Nimrod MRA4. 14June 2010 
			 Head of Capability Air and Littoral Manoeuvre-Commodore Russ Harding Rotary Wing Programme including: Lynx Wildcat and SAR(H). 29 October 2009 
			 Head of Capability Expeditionary Logistic and Support-Brigadier Paul Jaques Strategic Mobility Air, Theatre Maritime Sustainment and Logistic and Support Vehicles Programmes including: A400M, FSTA, MARS, OUVS, C Vehicle PFI, and Support Vehicles. 29 October 2009 
			 Head of Capability, ISTAR-Air Commodore Tom Cross Air ISTAR and Direct Process Disseminate Programmes including: Watchkeeper, HELIX, Sustain SENTRY, ASTOR and DABINETT. 29 October 2009 
			 Head of Capability, CCII-Brigadier Neil Couch Networks, Air Command and Control and Logistics and Personnel Command and Control Programmes including: Falcon, JMATS and Bowman. 29 0ctober 2009 
			 Head of Capability, Ground Manoeuvre-Brigadier Mike Riddell-Webster Heavy and Medium Forces and Light and Soldier Systems Programmes including: FIST, FRES and Trojan and Titan. 29 0ctober 2009 
			 (1) Refers to date of SRO appointment letter, issue of programme mandate or appointment to post, as appropriate.  Key: JCA-Joint Combat Aircraft BVRAAM-Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile IFPA-Indirect Fire Precision Attack CSP-Capability Sustainment Programme SAR(H)-Search and Rescue Helicopter MRA4-Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft FSTA-Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft MARS-Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Project OUVS-Operational Utility Vehicle System ISTAR-Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance ASTOR-Airborne Stand-Off Radar JMATS-Joint Military Air Traffic Services FIST-Future Integrated Soldier Technology FRES-Future Rapid Effects System

Defence: Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanism he has put in place to ensure that future export potential is considered at the outset of a major project in his Department.

Gerald Howarth: In July 2010, the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (Peter Luff), set out the five criteria against which future equipment programmes will be assessed. One of the criteria is exportability: making sure we consider the export potential and viability when considering new project requirements. This is now embedded in the Project Start Up/Foundation process, as part of the Ministry of Defence's acquisition cycle. Where appropriate, we will then consider how adjustments can be made to our own procurement programme to support export prospects. This may include more modular design or acquisition options which provide greater flexibility to meet export requirements at minimal cost, for example, while ensuring the UK still obtains the capability it needs.
	The Defence and Security Industrial and Technology Paper will consider how the Government can further support responsible defence exports. Interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on this paper during the public consultation period which will begin after the Christmas recess for a 12 week period up to the end of March 2011.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) remit,  (b) staffing levels and  (c) number and types of cases administered by each legal team in his Department were in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is serviced by seven civilian legal teams, under the overall supervision of the legal director.
	The operational and humanitarian law team (six civilian lawyers) provides advice to the department on international humanitarian law, international law and domestic law in relation to military operations (including Iraq legacy litigation), advises on international negotiations, and supervises the provision of advice to the Permanent Joint Headquarters.
	The general law team (six civilian lawyers) provides advice on public inquiries (including Al Sweady, Baha Mousa, MOD's input to the Iraq inquiry), inquests, Northern Ireland matters, judicial reviews such as the Smith case, freedom of information, EU law and a wide range of other topics.
	The personnel and pensions team (13 civilian lawyers, one military lawyer) provides advice on employment questions, terms and conditions of service, redundancy and discrimination law (for both civilian and military personnel), War Pensions, Armed Forces Compensation and service and civilian pensions issues.
	The legislation team (five civilian lawyers, two military lawyers) deals with departmental legislation (including the quinquennial Armed Forces Acts), departmental input into OGD's legislation, constitutional matters relating to the armed forces, and the service justice system.
	The commercial team (29 civilian lawyers) provides advice on commercial and procurement issues; assists Defence Estates with some transactional work, and liaises with Ministry of Defence's external commercial legal advisers.
	Legal teams in Germany and Cyprus (seven civilian lawyers plus some locally engaged legally qualified staff) deal, in the former case, with advice to UK forces and the civilian component relating to all aspects of living in and operating in and from Germany. In the latter case, the team deal with advice to the Sovereign Base Administrator (the head of the team also acts as Attorney-General to the Sovereign Base Areas and in that context has independent control of prosecutions before the SBA courts).
	In all seven teams, legally qualified staff are supplemented by a small number of support staff and legal executives.
	The single services are served by their own legal branches, and by the Service Prosecuting Authority.
	The number and types of cases administered are not held in the format requested.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to reduce his Department's budget for legal services.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence is now in the process of completing its annual planning round which will allocate programme budgets. This is expected to conclude in early 2011.

Departmental Procurement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many procurement contracts his Department is in the process of awarding; to what equipment each contract relates; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of each contract; what the delivery dates are; and from which companies the equipment is being provided.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information would in any case not normally be released prior to contracts being placed as to do so might prejudice the Department's commercial position and could undermine the tendering process.
	Following contract award the Department routinely publishes the contractor's name; nature of the goods or services to be supplied; award criteria; rationale for contract award; price of the winning tender; and the identities of the unsuccessful tenderers in the Official Journal of the European Union, the European Defence Agency's Electronic Bulletin Board and the MOD Contracts Bulletin.

Departmental Procurement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which items were procured by his Department using funds from the contingency reserve in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010 to date.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence charges the Reserve only for the net additional costs of military operations. Costs that would have been incurred regardless of the operation taking place, such as wages and salaries of core staff are not included. Savings on activities that have not occurred because of the operation, for example training exercises, are taken into account when arriving at the net figures. Currently, only the net additional costs of operations in Afghanistan (Operation HERRICK) and Iraq (Operation TELIC) can be claimed from the Reserve.
	Expenditure from the Reserve in the years in question has been wide ranging, covering items such as infrastructure, personnel costs, equipment support, capital expenditure and stock, fuel and ammunition consumption. A full list of all items procured is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Net Additional Cost Military Operations (NACMO) expenditure, claimed from the Reserve between 2008 and 2010, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11( 1) 
			  Cost type  Iraq  Afghanistan  Iraq  Afghanistan  Iraq  Afghanistan 
			 RDEL 1,124 1,655 299 2,330 142 2,940 
			 CDEL 257 968 43 1,491 37 1,496 
			 Total 1,381 2,623 342 3,821 179 4,436 
			 (1 )2010-11 are Main Estimate figures.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: From May 2010 to 12 November 2010, 388 questions were tabled to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for answer on a named day. 210 (54%) were answered substantively on the day named for answer. No questions were answered before the day named for answer, as Parliament does not accept answers before the named day. 13 questions (3%) did not receive a substantive answer by 18 November 2010.
	The MOD calculates timescales for answering written parliamentary questions using parliamentary sitting days, rather than calendar days, which is in line with Cabinet Office guidance. Seven days is therefore, interpreted as five sitting days and 14 days as 10 sitting days.
	From May 2010 to 12 November 2010, 1,143 questions were tabled to the MOD for ordinary written answer. 634 (55%) were answered within five sitting days, and 877 (76%) were answered within 10 sitting days. 30 questions (3%) remained unanswered by 18 November 2010.
	The average cost of answering a written question estimated by the Treasury is £154, as from 20 January 2010. The Treasury, in making its assessment of the cost of answering questions, does not differentiate between the types of written questions.
	The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly, to which the MOD will provide its input in due course.

Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish the outcome of the review of his Department's veterans strategy.

Andrew Robathan: The Strategy for Veterans outlines the Ministry of Defence's plans for working across Government and with veterans' organisations to provide preparation for the transition of service personnel back to civilian life, provide advice and support to veterans and to ensure that veterans' contribution to society is understood and recognised. The current intention is that the review will be completed and the strategy revised if required early in the new year.

Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the performance of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in bringing together services for veterans.

Andrew Robathan: The formation of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in 2007 brought together the Armed Forces Pay and Administration Agency and the Veterans Agency, into a single, cohesive, organisation responsible for delivering services to armed forces personnel from recruitment to retirement and beyond, including war pensioners and the injured. The Owner's Board, Customer Advisory Group and veteran's organisations meet regularly to provide feedback on the agency's work and the performance is constantly reviewed and developed in the light of this advice.
	This Government have also introduced 13 Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees that give a regional focus to, and raise awareness of, the support available to the former service community.
	A new Welfare Strategy, that will closely involve the third sector, will be developed following the completion of initiatives like the Service Personnel Command Paper, the Armed Forces Military Taskforce and rewriting the Military Covenant.

Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will update the information on the veterans strategy presented on the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency website.

Andrew Robathan: The Strategy for Veterans available on the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency website reflects the current position. However the Government are working on a replacement strategy that will demonstrate our commitment to providing the best possible services to the former service community.

Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the likely number of armed forces veterans in  (a) 2020  (b) 2030  (c) 2040 and  (d) 2050.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is not held.

Falklands Island

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on the Falklands Islands of Decree 256/2010 issued by the Government of Argentina.

Nick Harvey: We take our responsibility to defend the Falkland Islands and the other UK overseas territories in the South Atlantic very seriously indeed and reiterated our commitment to their defence in the strategic defence and security review. The imposition of Argentinean Presidential Decree 256 has no effect on our ability to defend the Islands.

MOD St Athan

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has considered the merits of using the superhangar at MOD St Athan for the purpose of servicing RAF aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: There are currently no plans to use the superhangar at MOD St Athan to maintain and repair RAF aircraft beyond 2010.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings he had with representatives of BAE Systems on the Strategic Defence and Security Review prior to its publication.

Liam Fox: I had a meeting with Ian King, chief executive of BAE Systems, on 21 June 2010, prior to a meeting of the National Defence Industries Council, which he and I co-chair. I also met BAE Systems representatives at other defence-related events, e.g. the Farnborough air show.

Submarines

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether the incorporation of the Core H reactor into the Vanguard-class submarines during their period of long overhaul and refuelling will be sufficient to cover the additional nine years of expected service life of the platform.

Liam Fox: The Trident Value for Money Review considered the feasibility of extending the life of the Vanguard class submarines beyond 25 years and analysis continues in support of the planned life extension. This work has confirmed that there is sufficient fuel capacity to cover the extension required for each submarine.

Submarines: Decommissioning

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to announce his decision on the shortlist of bidders to undertake submarine dismantling work; and which  (a) individuals and  (b) organisations he plans to inform of that decision.

Andrew Robathan: The contracting strategy for the submarine dismantling project is being developed as part of the project's assessment phase, ahead of the main gate decision point.
	There are no plans to invite bids for submarine dismantling work, should such a contracting strategy be adopted, until the assessment phase is completed. The assessment phase will include a public consultation which is currently planned for 2011.
	We recognise that there is a great deal of interest in submarine dismantling work and an announcement will be made on the way forward for the submarine dismantling project on completion of the assessment phase. Information on the progress of the assessment phase is publicly available on the project's web site:
	http://www.submarinedismantling.co.uk/CurrentActivities.html
	Interested parties, including other Government bodies and regulatory authorities, are routinely advised on project progress.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Rents

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the likely effects on the number of new homes of the implementation of the proposed affordable rent model.

Grant Shapps: In the spending review we announced almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. We are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, which will increase their financial capacity, so our aspiration is to deliver as many homes as possible through our investment and reforms.

Empty Homes

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to return empty homes to productive use.

Andrew Stunell: Empty homes are a blight on communities and a waste of housing which we cannot afford. We are proposing to give local authorities bigger incentives to take action on empty homes by including them in the New Homes Bonus. And we intend to provide £100 million over the spending review period to bring over 3,000 empty homes back into use as affordable rented housing.

Affordable Housing: Construction

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the likely number of new affordable homes starts in each of the next three years.

Grant Shapps: In the spending review we announced almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. We are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets thus increasing their financial capacity, so our aspiration is to deliver as many homes as possible through our investment and reforms. The number of homes delivered in each year will be dependent on agreements between housing associations and the Homes and Communities Agency, in consultation with local authorities.

Council Housing: Finance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the effects on local authority housing budgets of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review.

Grant Shapps: Despite the fiscal constraints, the Government are still investing nearly £6.5 billion in affordable housing, of which at least £1.6 billion will go to local authorities to make council homes decent. We have protected funding for homelessness plus allocated almost £1 billion in addition for the New Homes Bonus which will reward local authorities which promote housing growth. And we will deliver increased freedoms and flexibilities to local authorities to make best use of their share of this funding. We will provide more information to authorities about overall Government grant, including support for housing budgets, when we announce shortly the provisional local government finance settlement.

Council Tax

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the percentage increase in council tax in England has been since 1997.

Bob Neill: The increase in the average band D council tax in England between 1997-98 and 2010-11 is 109%.

Councillors

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the effects on the effectiveness of local representation of the implementation of proposals to reduce the number of local councillors.

Bob Neill: These matters are the responsibility of the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which is directly responsible to Parliament and for its recommendations on local government electoral matters, including recommendations on council size. Such recommendations are implemented by order made by the Commission, unless either House of Parliament has resolved that such an order be not made.

Multiple Occupation: Licensing

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress he has made in implementing his policy on houses in multiple occupation in deprived areas; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects of implementation of this policy on the number of such houses in such areas.

Grant Shapps: Local authorities are under a statutory duty to licence larger, higher risk houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in their areas. They also have the general consent to introduce additional HMO licensing schemes in their areas without having to first seek approval from the Department. We believe that it is right for these local decisions to be made by those who are directly accountable to local communities.
	We are also giving councils the flexibility to use planning rules to control the spread of HMOs where they cause problems, without tying every landlord in red tape where shared housing causes no problems. This localist approach will allow action to be taken in deprived areas where the saturation of HMOs adversely affects local amenity.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Broadband: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the Conservative Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Mid and West Wales on the proposed pilot in Wales for high speed broadband services.

Edward Vaizey: Department for Business Innovation and Skills Ministers have not had any meetings with the Conservative Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Mid and West Wales about the proposed pilot for high speed broadband services, but BIS officials have had regular dialogue with all the devolved Administrations and regional development agencies prior to the selection of the superfast broadband pilots.

Cumbria University: Finance

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department plans to provide to the University of Cumbria to maximise the uptake of higher education by persons resident in harder-to-reach areas of Cumbria.

David Willetts: Our student finance proposals provide a new approach to access for the poorest in society who have the ambition and aptitude to go to university. We are putting in place student support arrangements that offer fair access for all, regardless of background-including extending the exemption from upfront charges to part-time students. We have also pledged £150 million to establish a new National Scholarship Programme to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It will raise their aspirations and their confidence in applying to university by guaranteeing them benefits such as a free first year or foundation year. Additionally, we will improve the advice and guidance available to young people so that they are aware, for example, of the qualifications required for different courses and careers.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Davey: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	Figures for named day parliamentary questions answered by the Department from May to October 2010 are as follows:
	
		
			  Figures for the period May to October 2010 
			   Number  (Percentage) 
			 Total 286 
			 Answered on date stipulated 215 (75%) 
			 Answered within 10 sitting days of the date stipulated(1) 285 (100%) 
			 (1) Includes those parliamentary questions answered on the substantive day 
		
	
	There were 10 named day parliamentary questions which remained unanswered on 18 November. Of these, eight have since received a substantive answer.
	The Department's management parliamentary questions accounting systems is unable to provide the average cost of answering a parliamentary question.
	HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions and the estimated costs that have applied from 20 January 2010 for answering a written question is £154.
	The Treasury, in making its assessment of the cost of answering questions, does not differentiate between the types of written questions.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Davey: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	Figures for parliamentary questions answered by the Department after seven and 14 days from tabling are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost but information from May to October 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			  Figures for the period May to October 2010( 1) 
			   Number  (Percentage) 
			 Total 1,076 
			 Answered within five sitting days 797 (74%) 
			 Answered within 10 sitting days(2) 1,021 (95%) 
			 (1) For parliamentary questions due for answer within these calendar months (2) Includes those parliamentary questions answered within five sitting days 
		
	
	There were 27 ordinary parliamentary questions which remained unanswered on 18 November. Of these, 12 have since received a substantive answer.
	The Department's management parliamentary questions accounting system is unable to provide the average cost of answering a parliamentary question.
	HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions and the estimated costs that have applied from 20 January 2010 for answering a written question is £154.
	The Treasury, in making its assessment of the cost of answering questions, does not differentiate between the types of written questions.

Higher Education: Admissions

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on future funding for the Aim Higher scheme; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: I have received a number of letters from schools, other education providers and individuals recently and I am aware of the effect of many of the outreach activities it supports.
	In 2004, Aimhigher's funding for the year was £136 million. By the time Labour left office, its annual funding had been reduced by 43% to £78 million. We have been very clear about the importance of widening participation and improving fair access in higher education-all those with the ability should have access to higher education irrespective of family income.
	This is why the Coalition is taking a new and different approach that builds on existing best practice, while developing it further. We are establishing a new framework, with increased responsibility on universities to widen participation; and greater Government investment in improving attainment and access for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Within this context, the Aimhigher programme will cease at the end of this academic year (July 2011).
	In the future institutions will be accountable for the steps they take to widen participation. Those wanting to charge more than a £6,000 annual graduate contribution will have to demonstrate what more they will do to attract more students from disadvantaged backgrounds through outreach activities, targeted scholarships and other financial support. This will include a requirement to participate in the new £150 million National Scholarships Programme. This work will be further supported by the £2.5 billion pupil premium to turn their school-based achievement into success at university. Universities and schools have learned a lot from the Aimhigher programme about "what works" in raising the aspirations of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Much of this knowledge is now embedded in the sector. It is right that universities have the freedom and flexibility to decide how to spend their resources on promoting access in the ways that will have the most impact for that institution, including through partnerships. This freedom will be accompanied by a regime of sanctions. Access will remain a focus for all institutions, who will continue to submit a Widening Participation Strategic Assessment to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. We are putting student choice at the heart of the system and will support this by ensuring institutions provide prospective students with clear and comparable information about course content, teaching methods and the employment outcomes of previous students.

Higher Education: Finance

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding each university received from  (a) the public purse and  (b) tuition fees in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Willetts: Information on the income of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The table shows  (a) the total public income and  (b) the tuition fees income of publicly-funded English higher education institutions, and the University of Buckingham whose data is recorded by HESA.
	Total public funding has been defined as; tuition fee categories which are predominantly publicly funded; all Funding Council grants-including grants from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Training and Development Agency (TDA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA); and other grants from central Government and public bodies such as local authorities and health authorities, and the EU commission.
	The income in the tuition fee column is largely paid by the Student Loans Company out of public funds, or other public bodies such as the NHS and devolved administration but it also includes income paid by private sources, such as fees paid directly by home and EU students and by international students.
	Higher education institutions have many other sources of income, such as research funding and donations so the total income of universities cannot be assumed from this table.
	More detailed breakdowns of income sources is published by HESA in volumes such as "HE Finance Plus and Resources of Higher Education Institutions".
	
		
			  English HEIs: Total public funding and tuition fees 2008/09 
			  £000 
			   Total public funding  Tuition fees 
			 Open University 255,235 140,832 
			 Cranfield University 53,343 39,341 
			 Royal College of Art 19,334 6,502 
			 Bishop Grosseteste University College 11,589 4,599 
			 Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College 43,072 21,168 
			 Central School of Speech and Drama 8,707 3,911 
			 University of Chester 58,021 30,962 
			 Canterbury Christ Church University 72,637 43,613 
			 York St John University 32,216 14,715 
			 College of St Mark and St John 16,615 6,370 
			 Edge Hill University 72,243 18,903 
			 University College Falmouth 24,415 9,406 
			 Harper Adams University College 19,787 5,163 
			 University of Winchester 28,044 14,572 
			 Liverpool Hope University 37,213 16,552 
			 University of the Arts, London 115,555 69,176 
			 University of Bedfordshire 69,760 51,345 
			 University of Northampton 52,689 29,667 
			 Newman College of Higher Education 16,909 6,357 
			 Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication 14,202 3,857 
			 Roehampton University 49,567 23,821 
			 Rose Bruford College 6,481 2,648 
			 Royal Academy of Music 5,794 5,493 
			 Royal College of Music 7,235 4,283 
			 Royal Northern College of Music 7,636 3,521 
			 Southampton Solent University 57,050 31,522 
			 University of Cumbria 65,034 25,909 
			 St Marys University College, Twickenham 22,578 9,801 
			 Leeds Trinity and All Saints 14,642 6,350 
			 Trinity Laban 10,834 3,434 
			 University of Worcester 41,381 20,500 
			 Anglia Ruskin University 92,485 60,424 
			 Bath Spa University 41,059 16,977 
			 University of Bolton 37,210 16,881 
			 Bournemouth University 78,889 44,429 
			 University of Brighton 115,004 56,101 
			 University of Central England in Birmingham 115,997 71,206 
			 University of Central Lancashire 123,821 74,553 
			 University of Gloucestershire 47,919 22,386 
			 Coventry University 104,936 66,510 
			 University of Derby 79,280 40,595 
			 University of East London 83,399 74,494 
			 University of Greenwich 107,696 68,571 
			 University of Hertfordshire 117,188 73,351 
			 University of Huddersfield 99,733 48,457 
			 University of Lincoln 66,038 27,698 
			 Kingston University 128,296 76,658 
			 Leeds Metropolitan University 114,837 53,771 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 101,754 66,344 
			 Manchester Metropolitan University 177,749 86,923 
			 Middlesex University 102,127 72,753 
			 De Montfort University 88,434 56,562 
			 University of Northumbria at Newcastle 129,440 90,366 
			 Nottingham Trent University 118,597 72,479 
			 Oxford Brookes University 79,936 63,155 
			 University of Plymouth 160,730 59,447 
			 University of Portsmouth 110,827 62,853 
			 Sheffield Hallam University 162,516 95,601 
			 London South Bank University 96,973 61,701 
			 Staffordshire University 89,799 36,163 
			 University of Sunderland 70,390 45,004 
			 University of Teesside 102,044 48,172 
			 Thames Valley University 79,594 39,612 
			 University of the West of England, Bristol 140,519 62,015 
			 University of Chichester 25,028 11,455 
			 University of Westminster 99,331 63,198 
			 University of Wolverhampton 110,418 50,469 
			 Aston University 53,587 38,002 
			 University of Bath 99,210 47,149 
			 University of Birmingham 271,582 97,251 
			 University of Bradford 74,416 52,277 
			 University of Bristol 238,373 63,715 
			 Brunei University 86,073 54,828 
			 University of Cambridge 500,935 81,068 
			 City University 76,962 95,659 
			 University of Durham 141,960 58,655 
			 University of East Anglia 129,850 62,145 
			 University of Essex 68,086 40,725 
			 University of Exeter 124,642 58,153 
			 University of Hull 100,741 58,939 
			 University of Keele 66,604 28,475 
			 University of Kent 97,016 52,841 
			 University of Lancaster 102,459 42,733 
			 University of Leeds 311,782 116,893 
			 University of Leicester 129,771 66,283 
			 University of Liverpool 217,661 70,333 
			 Birkbeck College 45,632 22,333 
			 Goldsmiths College 48,425 27,529 
			 Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine 358,447 100,904 
			 Institute of Education 56,781 11,952 
			 Kings College London 295,786 94,625 
			 London Business School 8,860 40,440 
			 London School of Economics and Political Science 47,650 88,206 
			 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 38,884 10,381 
			 Queen Mary and Westfield College 168,707 60,863 
			 Royal Holloway and Bedford New College 68,044 40,824 
			 Royal Veterinary College 37,914 6,410 
			 St Georges Hospital Medical School 59,892 7,673 
			 School of Oriental and African Studies 23,072 30,112 
			 School of Pharmacy 14,776 4,480 
			 University College London 400,322 107,765 
			 University of London (Institutes and activities) 56,688 38,335 
			 Loughborough University 114,642 58,012 
			 University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne 220,350 73,392 
			 University of Nottingham 282,609 139,556 
			 University of Oxford 391,445 89,082 
			 University of Reading 115,197 59,023 
			 University of Salford 126,261 77,041 
			 University of Sheffield 259,628 97,342 
			 University of Southampton 244,993 91,745 
			 University of Surrey 95,049 55,604 
			 University of Sussex 99,381 40,965 
			 University of Warwick 181,275 99,884 
			 University of York 129,567 49,746 
			 Institute of Cancer Research 36,124 271 
			 Writtle College 14,225 2,581 
			 Norwich School of Art and Design 9,606 3,850 
			 Royal Agricultural College 6,135 2,995 
			 Arts Institute at Bournemouth 18,773 7,255 
			 Conservatoire for Dance and Drama 14,515 4,474 
			 Birmingham College of Food Tourism and Creative Studies 29,598 10,073 
			 Courtauld Institute of Art 4,815 1,854 
			 London Metropolitan University 97,104 67,936 
			 University of Buckingham 546 8,139 
			 University of Manchester 407,152 165,851 
			 Heythrop College 2,522 1,814 
			 University College for Creative Arts at Canterbury 41,446 15,632 
			 Leeds College of Music 7,408 2,601 
			 Guildhall School of Music and Drama 11,634 3,530 
			 Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts 5,236 2,879 
			 Total 12,498,637 5,823,710 
			  Source: HESA

Higher Education: North Tyneside

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people resident in North Tyneside constituency  (a) applied to attend university in the current academic year and  (b) were successful in their applications; and what proportion in each case was from disadvantaged backgrounds.

David Willetts: The information is in the following table and is provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and therefore mostly covers full-time undergraduate study.
	Applicants who were not accepted for entry can include: individuals who did not receive any offer; individuals who received an offer (conditional or unconditional) but decided not to go to university; individuals who received a conditional offer and fail to meet the specific conditions (eg they do not achieve certain grades); and individuals who decided to withdraw from the UCAS system.
	
		
			  Applicants and accepted applicants from North Tyneside to full-time undergraduate courses in UK institutions via UCAS by area background, 2010/11 
			  Area background  Applicants  Percentage of total  Accepted applicants  Percentage of total 
			 Disadvantaged(1) 719 86 497 86 
			 Other 114 14 80 14 
			 Grand total 833 100 577 100 
			 (1) For the purposes of their funding allocations the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) treat entrants from the most disadvantaged 40% of neighbourhoods as 'disadvantaged'  http://www.hefce.ac.uk/widen/fund/ HEFCE uses two different groupings of areas to define disadvantage: one based on the participation rates of young (19 and under) people in HE (which is used by HEFCE when looking at young full-time entrants); and one based on the proportion of adults who hold HE qualifications (which is used by HEFCE when looking at part-time and mature full-time entrants). Because this table includes applicants and accepted applicants of all ages disadvantage is defined by the HE qualified adults measure.  Source: UCAS provisional end of year data (represents applicants and accepted applicants at 13 October 2010; end of year data will be available from 20 January 2011).

Innovation: Greater London

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department plans to allocate to support the proposed East End of London High Tech Hub in each of the next four years.

David Willetts: UKTI has announced that it will create a technology taskforce this month, with associated expenditure of £15 million. The allocation of this expenditure over the next four years has yet to be decided. The taskforce will work to attract technology investment into the UK, including a focus on east London, and will provide support through its London International Trade Team, and others, to technology companies wishing to export. The technology-related resources of BIS will be available to strengthen and support this effort.

Internet

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to ensure that internet service providers do not discriminate against competitors and new entrants in the speed at which websites and services reach their customers.

Edward Vaizey: The Government expect all internet service providers (ISPs) providing an internet access service-both fixed and mobile-to offer all legal content. Consumers should always be able to access any legal content or service they want to and content providers and applications should be able to access consumers. ISPs should not be able to discriminate unfairly against services or users. That means no blocking or discriminatory degradation of services or applications for commercial reasons.
	There is not yet any evidence that discriminatory practices are emerging, or that there is a problem with regards to how ISPs or networks manage the traffic that flows over them (something they all engage in for technical reasons to deliver the best possible service to consumers). And this is enforced by the initial responses to Ofcom's recent consultation on the issue.
	A contributing factor to the success of the internet has been the lack of legislative restraints that have been placed on it. It is important that we give the market the opportunity to self regulate. Ofcom will closely monitor how the market develops and if it develops in an anti-competitive way they will intervene.

Students: Finance

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on differentials between remuneration of graduates and non-graduates.

David Willetts: The Department holds information on pay differentials between graduates and non-graduates from a wide range of sources-published statistics, internal analysis, and external research. Much of it draws on data from the Labour Force Survey.
	It all shows that, on average, graduates earn more than non-graduates. The key points are summarised here, in terms of actual earnings and the lifetime earnings premium.
	 Average earnings
	The following table shows recent estimates from the Labour Force Survey of the average earnings for employees of working age in the UK, split by those in full-time and part-time employment, according to whether they hold qualifications at Level 4 or above, or Level 3 and below.
	Qualifications at Level 4 and above (L4+) correspond to 'HE level qualifications', ranging from HE certificates and HNDs, through first degrees, up to and including doctorates; they also include vocational equivalents (e.g. higher level NVQs). The estimates are for Quarter 2 (April to June) 2010.
	
		
			  £ 
			   L4+  L3 and below 
			  Average earnings  Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			 2010 Quarter 2 35,995 14,634 22,702 7,463 
			  Source: LFS Q2 2010; employees in UK; working age (aged: 16 to 59 females, 16 to 64 males). 
		
	
	 Lifetime earnings
	There are also estimates of the lifetime earnings benefits of having a degree over and above two or more A-levels (the 'graduate premium'), which control for other factors that influence earnings. The Department draws on various estimates of the lifetime earnings benefits for degree holders, arising from both external and internal analysis. Generally they all estimate the lifetime earnings benefits of having a first degree over and above two or more A-levels.
	These estimates indicate that first degree graduates can expect to earn, on average, over £100,000 more over their working life, in today's values and net of taxes, than similar individuals who stop their education with two or more A-levels
	This is for the average graduate, and the actual position for any individual will vary around this average.
	There have been several calculations of the graduate premium in recent years, using data from different time periods and/or slightly different methods, though they have all used data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS-a sample survey) and the broad approach is consistent. These have all come to similar conclusions, albeit with slightly different estimates, which is why it is generally not expressed as a single figure but rather as a range or being above a certain value.
	A couple of relevant external studies are:
	'The Return to a University Education in Great Britain, O'Leary, N.C. and P.J. Sloane (2005), National Institute Economic Review, no. 193; pp 75-89' (they found the lifetime earnings premium, net of taxes, was £141,539 for males and £157,928 for females).
	'The Economic Benefits of a degree, UUK/PWC, Feb 2007' (this gave the graduate premium as being around £160,000 gross)
	http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Documents/research-gradprem.pdf

Students: Loans

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to reduce the time taken to process applications for student loans.

David Willetts: The Student Loans Company (SLC) administers Student Finance England. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has invested in improving the company's systems (for example, creating an electronic link to the Identity and Passport Service so applicants no longer have to send in their passports to verify their eligibility) and has supported streamlining processes and providing more staff to process applications at peak times.
	The Department has also revised the SLC's targets for the time taken to process applications from submission by a student to readiness for payment, and continues to challenge and support the company to improve further.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disability-specific organisations have applied to be approved contractors for the Work Programme.

Chris Grayling: 102 organisations, Special Purpose Vehicles or consortiums submitted bids in respect of the DWP Framework for the Provision of Employment Related Support Services. Bidders were not asked to indicate whether they were disability-specific organisations in their bid. A list of organisations that submitted bids can be found on the Supplying DWP website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/supplying-dwp/
	Those organisations that have been accepted onto the Framework will be notified at the end of November and a list will also be published on the Supplying DWP website. Only those organisations that are successful in being admitted to the Framework as Prime Contractors will be invited to tender for Work Programme contracts.

Carer's Allowance

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effects on those in receipt of carer's allowance of the implementation of his proposal for a universal credit.

Maria Miller: Carers provide an invaluable service to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and the Government want to make sure they get the support they need.
	The Government are currently considering whether changes to carer's allowance will be necessary to take account of the introduction of universal credit and provide clearer, more effective support for carers.
	Most carers of working age want to maintain contact with the labour market, not only for their financial well-being, but also to enhance their own lives and the lives of those for whom they care. The Government intend, as part of their reforms, to provide support for carers and improve their opportunities to maintain links with the world of work.

Carer's Allowance: Scotland

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Livingston constituency  (a) are in receipt of carer's allowance and  (b) were in receipt of carer's allowance in each of the last five years.

Maria Miller: The number of people in receipt of carers allowance (CA) over the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Livingston parliamentary constituency( 1) 
			   Number 
			  May:  
			 2010 1,020 
			 2009 980 
			 2008 930 
			 2007 940 
			 2006 920 
			 (1) Constituencies used for May 2010 are for the Westminster Parliament 2010. Prior to this, the constituencies used are for May 2005.   Notes:  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  2. Caseloads for CA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.  3. These figures are published at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html   Source:  DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data.

Departmental Postal Services

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which services of his Department have been the subject of a contract awarded in a tender process in which Post Office Ltd submitted a bid since 1997-98.

Chris Grayling: In 2007 the Department began a procurement process to replace the Post Office card account and Post Office Ltd submitted a bid.
	Although the procurement was subsequently cancelled, the contract was awarded to Post Office Ltd in November 2008, based on their tender submitted in that process.

Departmental Postal Services

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what services provided by his Department were the subject of a contract with Post Office Ltd in 1997-98 and have subsequently become the subject of a contract with another supplier; and what the monetary value was of each such contract in  (a) 1997-98 and  (b) the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The Department has no services which were the subject of a contract with Post Office Ltd in 1997-98 and which have subsequently become the subject of a contract with another supplier.

Departmental Postal Services

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value was of contracts between his Department and  (a) Post Office Ltd and  (b) Royal Mail in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) each year since 2004-05.

Chris Grayling: All of the information is not available in the format requested.
	Information relating to the value of contracts in 1997-98 cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.
	 (a) The monetary value of the contracts between the Department and Post Office Ltd for each financial year since April 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Post Office Point of Sale (POPOS) 0.33 - - - - - 
			 Order Books 227.28 32.11 - - - - 
			 Post Office card account (POca) 136.03 156.5 150.84 147.21 143.14 131.47 
			 Alternative Distribution Channel (ADC) 0.06 0.20 0.35 2.6 0.37 0.37 
		
	
	The POPOS contract related to the display of key departmental leaflets and posters in post office branches. The contract was terminated by Post Office Ltd on 2 June 2004.
	The contract for the payment of DWP benefits and pensions by order book was in place until 31 May 2005.
	The POca contract began in April 2003. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency and Service Personnel and Veterans Agency also pay pensions and tax credits into POcas. The figures above relate to DWP expenditure only.
	The ADC contract has been in force since 1 February 2005 to provide contingency arrangements for the distribution of customers' cheque payments in the event of Royal Mail industrial action. The contract was invoked during 2007-08, resulting in increased expenditure for that period.
	 (b) The monetary value of the contracts between the Department and Royal Mail for each financial year since April 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			  Postal services 
			   £ million 
			 2004-05 66.94 
			 2005-06 56.41 
			 2006-07 45.96 
			 2007-08 38.45 
			 2008-09 39.32 
			 2009-10 41.43

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on overseas visits for senior officials in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Expenditure on overseas visits by senior civil servants in the Department is not separately recorded and could be identified only at disproportionate cost. However, total expenditure on overseas travel by the Department's staff (over 100,000 in total) for the period from 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010 was £498,525; a fall of 29% compared with the period from 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009. It is reasonable to assume that the majority of this expenditure was incurred by members of the senior civil service.

Disability Living Allowance: Care Homes

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultation he undertook with  (a) charities,  (b) third sector organisations and  (c) other disability organisations prior to his decision to propose the removal of the mobility component of disability living allowance for those who live in residential care homes.

Maria Miller: Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that contracts with care homes cover services to meet a resident's assessed needs. These will cover activities of daily living which may include providing access to doctors, dentists and local services such as libraries and banks. Local authorities should also take into account the resident's emotional and social needs as part of the assessment.
	As part of the spending review all organisations are given the opportunity to contribute to the priorities of the spending review. Across Government, consultation on specific spending review measures was not undertaken. All measures are subject to the parliamentary process, and we are committed to the involvement of charities, third sector organisations and other disability organisations in the ongoing development of policy in these areas.

Disability Living Allowance: Livingston

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people resident in Livingston constituency with a learning disability who will be affected by the implementation of proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance for those who live in residential care homes; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: Data concerning the disabling conditions of those receiving DLA is not available broken down by place of residence on a constituency basis. We estimate approximately 60,000 people who claim DLA and live in residential care will be affected by this measure in Great Britain.

Employment and Support Allowance: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency,  (b) Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency and  (c) Scotland have been in receipt of employment and support allowance payments for more than one year.

Maria Miller: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Employment and support allowance claimants as of May 2010 
			   Total number of employment and support allowance claimants  Claimants in receipt of employment and support allowance for over one year 
			 Scotland 54,010 10,430 
			
			 Parliamentary constituency Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 720 150 
			 Kilmarnock and Louden 1,020 170 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  2. Figures are compiled using 2010 parliamentary constituency boundaries.  3. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008.  4. Data include those receiving "credits only".   Source:  DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data.

Employment Schemes

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what relationship he plans to establish between the work programme and work clubs.

Chris Grayling: I would firstly like to acknowledge the excellent work achieved by my hon. Friend in pioneering the development of Job Clubs to help unemployed people find work, and in particular the continued success of the Banbury and Bicester clubs in his Oxfordshire constituency.
	The Work Programme will give our providers the freedom to design support based on the needs of individuals and target the right support at the right time-not waste time delivering centrally specified support that will not provide the help a person needs.
	For the Work Programme to be successful we expect that prime providers will need to work with a broad range of sub-contractors and local partners in order to deliver the personalised and localised services required in today's labour market.
	We are actively encouraging local partners to work with potential Work Programme providers in their areas, in the development of bids that are responsive to local circumstances, and have designed the policy of the Work Programme in order to ensure its flexibility and allow it to integrate closely with the services available in each lot.
	The commercial process for the Work Programme is on track. The Invitation to Tender for the Framework for Employment Related Support Services was published on the 23 August, and we are currently evaluating tenders. We expect to be able to announce who has been successful before the end of the year.

Employment: Bus Services

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the effects of reductions in bus subsidies and the local government transport grant on the mobility of individuals seeking work.

Norman Baker: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given him today (UIN 24820).

Flexible New Deal: County Durham

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to introduce the Government's Flexible New Deal in County Durham.

Chris Grayling: There are no plans to introduce Flexible New Deal in County Durham. The Government have taken a decision to terminate all existing Flexible New Deal contracts and replace them with the Work Programme by summer 2011.
	The Work Programme will supersede many of the national employment programmes currently on offer, and the confusing array of current programmes will be phased out up to the launch of the Work Programme.

Fylde

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff are employed in each of his Department's offices on the Fylde coast.

Chris Grayling: The number of staff employed in each of the Department's offices on the Fylde coast at 30 June 2010 is shown in the following table. For comparison purposes the figures represent both headcount and full-time equivalent staff.
	
		
			  Town  Building  Headcount  Full-time equivalent 
			 Blackpool 43 Queen Street 91 84.68 
			  Government Buildings Norcross 1,480 1,365.63 
			  Marton Mere 353 311.91 
			  Peel Park 713 671.34 
			  Tydesley Road 63 57.31 
			  Warbreck House 2,567 2,228.22 
			 
			 Fleetwood Roskell House 42 35.90 
			 
			 Lytham St Annes Westmoreland House 59 54.80 
			 
			 Grand total  5,368 4,809.79

Housing Benefit

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of housing benefit in  (a) Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency,  (b) the North East and  (c) England have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	Information is collected on the number of claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, which includes income-based jobseeker's allowance. However neither the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit nor the duration of such claims is available.

Housing Benefit

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria he plans to use to determine the distribution of additional discretionary housing benefit funding between local authorities.

Steve Webb: We are discussing the 2011-12 allocation of the additional Discretionary Housing Payment funding with the local authority associations. Our discussions will be informed by our detailed analysis of the impact of the changes to Local Housing Allowance rates which we published on 23 July 2010. A copy of that document 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit: Durham

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) North West Durham constituency,  (b) the North East and  (c) England likely to have to find alternative accommodation as a result of implementation of proposed reforms to housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on the 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' on the 23 July. This gives details of the impacts at local authority level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library. However, we are unable to provide an estimate of the number of households that may move as a consequence of the proposed reforms because it is not possible to assess behavioural effects among tenants and landlords.
	We are working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the devolved Administrations to assist tenants through the transition. For example we have trebled the Discretionary Housing Payment funding to local authorities. We are working with local authorities and providing them with a communications tool kit which will help them raise awareness so tenants can consider their options before they are affected.

Housing Benefit: Females

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those in receipt of housing benefit in  (a) Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency,  (b) the North East and  (c) England are female.

Steve Webb: Information is not available at the constituency level. The available information is shown in the table.
	
		
			Females without partner  Couples 
			   Total HB recipients  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 North East 257,880 128,520 50 54,940 21 
			 England 4,070,960 2,054,810 51 849,220 21 
			  Notes: 1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Gender information is not recorded in approximately 10,000 cases in England and just over 1,000 cases in the North East.  Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract for July 2010.

Housing Benefit: North Tyneside

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) North Tyneside constituency,  (b) the North East and  (c) England are in receipt of housing benefit and have been unemployed for 12 months or more.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	The economic status of HB claimants is not available. However information is available on the passported status of the claim: that is, whether the claimant receives either income support, jobseeker's allowance (income-based), employment and support allowance (income-based), or pension credit (guaranteed credit).

Housing Benefit: Rural Areas

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on people aged between 25 and 35 in sparsely populated rural areas of the proposed changes to housing benefit.

Steve Webb: We will publish a document on the impacts of the proposed changes to the shared room rate in due course. This will include analysis at the local authority level.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he made of the proportion of housing benefit recipients in Scotland who were  (a) pensioners,  (b) carers and  (c) disabled in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: At August 2010, there were 172,020 housing benefit recipients in Scotland where the claimant or their partner was 60 years old or older. This amounts to 37% of the total housing benefit case load in Scotland. Information on carers and disabled people is not available.

Jobcentre Plus: Mental Health

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Jobcentre Plus districts in each region of England have a mental health co-ordinator as part of the mental health co-ordinator network programme.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what proportion of Jobcentre Plus Districts in each region in England has a mental health co-ordinator. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	All Jobcentre Plus Districts have a mental health coordinator in post. Their role is to raise awareness of mental health issues, building practical links between health and employment services at a local level. This includes ensuring that advisers receive support and training to identify customers who may have a mental health condition and to be able to signpost them to appropriate sources of help.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the average contact time with a jobs adviser for a jobseeker's allowance claimant in the first  (a) four weeks,  (b) three months and  (c) six months of the claimant's search for a job;
	(2)  how frequently a jobseeker's allowance claimant must report to a job centre in the first  (a) four weeks,  (b) three months and  (c) six months of unemployment.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking:
	1. how frequently must a Jobseeker's Allowance claimant report to a job centre in the first (a) four weeks, (b) three months and (c) six months unemployment; and
	2. what recent estimate has been made of the average contact time with a jobs adviser with a jobseeker's allowance claimant in the first (a) four weeks, (b) three months and (c) six months of the claimant's search for a job.
	This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	In answer to your first question, most people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance are required to attend their nearest Jobcentre Plus office every fortnight during the first 13 weeks of their claim. Thereafter and for a period of six weeks they are required to attend weekly before returning to fortnightly attendance. These jobsearch reviews take on average about six or seven minutes. Where additional support is required and that cannot be provided within the confines of a jobsearch review, customers are referred to an adviser.
	Turning to your second question, no recent estimate has been made of the average contact with an adviser during various stages of the claim. However, adviser support is provided on the following basis:
	everyone has an interview with a personal adviser at the outset of their claim to discuss and agree some realistic job goals and jobsearch plans. We allow an average of 35 minutes for this interview, but the actual time taken will vary to take into account individual customer needs;
	people who are particularly disadvantaged within the labour market are fast-tracked from the new claim interview to an adviser caseload. We allow an average of 40 minutes for the an initial interview, followed by an average of three hours contact time used flexibly by advisers to suit individual customer need;
	for those people who are not fast-tracked and do not find work quickly, a review is undertaken at or around 13 weeks. We allow an average of 20 minutes for these reviews, but the method of delivery and duration of contact will vary to take into account individual needs; and
	all customers reaching six months unemployment are allocated a personal adviser. This involves an initial interview averaged at 40 minutes, followed by an average of three hours contact time used flexibly by advisers to suit individual customer circumstances and needs.
	The above framework of regular jobsearch reviews, supplemented by more in-depth adviser support at key stages has proved very successful in helping people into work more quickly than would otherwise have been the case. However, building upon what we know works well, we are, from April 2011, introducing a new framework of advisory support in Jobcentre Plus, giving greater flexibility for Personal Advisers to focus on the individual needs of customers and tailor support accordingly.
	I hope this assures you of our intent to provide people with the best possible service.

Occupational Pensions

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on small businesses of automatic enrolment into workplace pensions; and what steps he plans to take to minimise the administrative requirements placed on small businesses by automatic enrolment.

Steve Webb: The effect on small businesses of the workplace pension reform regulations is set out in the 2010 Impact Assessment. The impact assessment looks at the impact on employers by employer size, looking specifically at small employers (defined as those with fewer than 50 workers) and micro employers (defined as those with fewer than five workers). Annex A presents the detailed assessment, as well as elements of the reforms that are designed to help small and micro employers.
	Copies of the impact assessment can be found in the Commons Library or at:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/772/pdfs/uksiem_ 20100772_en.pdf
	An independent review of the workplace pension reforms "Making automatic enrolment work" was published on 27 October 2010. One of the things the review team examined was the impact of the reforms on business. David Yeandle, of the Engineering Employers' Federation, was part of the review team to ensure that business interests were well represented in the review process.
	The review team recognised that easing burdens on business was important. So a number of their recommendations are aimed specifically at making things more straightforward for employers and we have accepted these recommendations in full. This includes:
	Increasing the threshold at which an individual is automatically enrolled (currently £5,035 at 2006-07 prices) to align it with the PAYE tax threshold (£7,475 in 2011-12) and aligning the threshold at which contributions become payable (currently £5,035) with the national insurance contributions threshold (currently £5,715).
	A simpler way for employers to check that their defined contribution schemes meet the required standards.
	An optional waiting period of up to three months before an employee needs to be automatically enrolled.
	Such recommendations will give employers greater flexibility in how they implement the new requirements and will mean that there is a much more proportionate impact on employers. The increased earnings threshold and waiting period are particularly beneficial for smaller employers, as they tend to have more lower earners and higher staff turnover.
	The review team recommended a range of further measures specifically aimed at helping smaller businesses including:
	Ensuring that micro employers are aware that the design of NEST specifically takes account of their needs.
	Providing the maximum possible comfort to small employers that they will not be held liable for their scheme choice, particularly if they opt for NEST or a stakeholder pension scheme.
	In addition, smaller businesses will not be required to do anything until 2014, once larger employers have been fully brought in. This gives them more time to prepare and more time for us to ensure that the processes work well. Even then they will not be required to contribute the full three per cent minimum contribution until October 2017. New businesses will be given further protection by being brought into the reforms last. Any new businesses set up after April 2012 will not have to automatically enrol until March 2016 at the earliest.
	The Government are taking forward the recommendations from the review as part of the forthcoming Pensions and Savings Bill, which is scheduled for introduction to Parliament in January 2011. The accompanying impact assessment will set out in detail how the changes affect smaller employers.

Private Rented Housing

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 941-42W, on private rented housing, what the evidential basis is for the estimate that 30% of properties will be affordable under the local housing allowance arrangements in 2012.

Steve Webb: The local housing allowance rates are set within each broad rental market area based on a list of rents maintained by rent officers as prescribed in legislation. From April 2011 the rates would be calculated as the value at the thirtieth percentile, meaning it will be set at the level of rent for which 30% of the rents in the area fall below that level.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of council tax benefit claimants are disabled people; what assessment his Department has made of the effect on disabled people of the proposed reduction in council tax benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The information requested on the proportion of council tax benefit claimants who are disabled people is not available.
	Design details of the proposed reduction are being developed by officials and have not yet been announced. An impact assessment on the proposed changes to council tax benefit announced in the spending review would be published, in the normal way, accompanying the relevant legislation when introduced in Parliament.

Social Security Benefits: Mortgages

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has made an estimate of the  (a) average and  (b) total difference between eligible mortgage interest outgoings and benefit awards for people in receipt of support for mortgage interest since 1 October 2010; and what plans he has to provide support for people unable to maintain their mortgage repayments after the implementation of changes to support for mortgage interest rates.

Steve Webb: The Department does not collect administrative data on the actual mortgage rates paid by support for mortgage interest customers, or information on the average or total difference between eligible mortgage interest outgoings and benefit awards for people in receipt of support for mortgage interest.
	In November 2009, we received a sample of data on almost 6,000 support for mortgage interest claimants (around 3% of the total case load) from 16 different mortgage lenders, collected on our behalf by Council of Mortgage Lenders and HM Treasury. While the data are not a statistically robust sample and any results should be considered illustrative, and it is likely that the distribution of mortgage rates will have changed since the data were collected, they can provide a useful insight into the mortgages of support for mortgage interest customers.
	Based on this sample, we have made estimates on the proportion of eligible mortgage interest that we would be covered under a standard interest rate of 3.67% (the Bank of England published mortgage rate for April 2010), and these are available in table 3 of the equality impact assessment published on the departmental website.
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/support-for-mortgage-interest.pdf
	It was necessary for the Government to put support for mortgage interest on a more sustainable footing, and to better reflect mortgage costs, which is why we set the standard interest rate at a level equal to the Bank of England's published monthly average mortgage rate from 1 October. The rate is currently 3.63%. The previous rate of 6.08% was too generous and resulted in the vast majority of people getting more than their eligible mortgage interest liability, which was unfair to taxpayers. The plans of the previous Government would have meant that the standard interest rate would have reverted to a formula-the Bank of England base rate plus 1.58%-which, at present, would produce a rate of 2.08% from January 2011.
	Although arrears levels may increase for those few borrowers whose new payments do not cover their mortgage, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has advised that that does not translate into an immediate possession risk, and that lenders will continue to exercise forbearance where it is fair to do so for the borrower, and the borrower has a chance of rehabilitation.
	Although there are no current plans to change the standard interest rate, we do intend to carefully monitor the impact of the policy. The Government will also continue to explore with mortgage lenders the scope for them to "freeze" benefit claimants' mortgage accounts and apply a standard interest rate for a fixed period.

HEALTH

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include a lung function test in the NHS Healthcheck.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Gateshead (Ian Mearns) on 18 October 2010,  Official Report, column 589W.

Dental Services: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population in  (a) England,  (b) the North West,  (c) Cumbria and  (d) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency are registered with an NHS dentist.

Simon Burns: Under the dental contractual arrangements, introduced by the previous government on 1 April 2006, patients do not have to be registered with a national health service dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ('patients seen') over a 24 month period. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	Information on patients seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months as a percentage of the population, in England, is available in table D2 of annex 3 of the "NHS Dental Statistics for England 2010/11" report. Information is available at quarterly intervals, from 31 March 2006 to 30 September 2010 and is provided by primary care trust and by strategic health authority but is not available by constituency.
	This report, published on 24 November 2010, has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/dentistry/nhs-dental-statistics-for-england-2010-11-first-quarterly-report

Dental Services: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the population in  (a) England,  (b) the North West,  (c) Cumbria and  (d) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency (i) do not have access to an NHS dentist and (ii) are on waiting lists for NHS dentists.

Simon Burns: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on patients able to get a dental appointment in the last two years is available in table 1 of the "GP patient survey: dental statistics; April to June 2010, England" and is provided by primary care trust and by strategic health authority but is not available by constituency.
	This report, published on 16 September 2010, has been placed in the Library and is also available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_119390
	Information on waiting times is not collected centrally.

Depression: Suicide

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients diagnosed with manic depression have committed suicide in  (a) each NHS trust in the North West and  (b) in England in each of the last 10 years; and how many times lack of access to carers, family and friends was recorded as a contributory factor in such cases.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not available centrally. Such information as is available is in the following tables. The first table gives a breakdown by year of the number of patients with a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder who died by suicide in the most recent 10 years for which data are available. The second gives the number of these patients for whom clinicians, when asked whether there was anything that might have made the suicide less likely said that closer contact with the patient's family may have been helpful.
	
		
			  Number of patient( 1)  suicide cases with bipolar disorder ,  England, 1999  to  2008 
			   Number 
			 1999 102 
			 2000 115 
			 2001 124 
			 2002 136 
			 2003 116 
			 2004 124 
			 2005 113 
			 2006 92 
			 2007 111 
			 2008(2) 85 
			 1 An individual that had been in receipt of mental health care from secondary mental health services in the 12 months prior to suicide. (2) 2008 = Not complete prior to suicide. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of clinicians who mentioned closer contact with patient's family may have made suicide less likely in those with bipolar disorder ,  England, 1999  to  2008 
			   Number  Valid (percentage) 
			 1999 16 17 
			 2000 18 16 
			 2001 25 21 
			 2002 18 14 
			 2003 18 17 
			 2004 14 12 
			 2005 8 8 
			 2006 10 12 
			 2007 11 10 
			 2008(1) 14 17 
			 (1) 2008 = Not complete, final figure may differ.

Hemofil T: Clinical Trials

Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the age was of the youngest person on the Hemofil T trial in the early 1980s.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold this information. Hemofil T was a commercial product, so the clinical trials would have been conducted by the manufacturer Hyland-Travenol (now Baxter Healthcare).

Mental Health Services

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of deaths in psychiatric care were due to natural causes in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: The information is not collected in the format requested. However, data are collected by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by people with Mental Illness (NCU/NCISH) which shows that there has been a fall of 46% in the number of psychiatric in-patients who have died by suicide over the last 10-year period for which figures are available.

Multiple Sclerosis: Research

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has assessed the effectiveness of the Zamboni treatment for alleviating the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mark Tami) on 23 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 253-55W.

NHS: Nurses

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts have announced reductions in nursing staff since May 2010.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not collected by the Department.
	Local healthcare organisations know the healthcare needs and priorities of their local populations. They are best placed to determine the work force required to deliver safe patient care within their available resources.

NHS: Nurses

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were recruited by the NHS in 2009-10.

Anne Milton: The National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Service monthly work force statistics show that the number of qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff joining the national health service in England between September 2009 and August 2010 was 24,507.

Pharmacy

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on commissioning more services from community pharmacies.

Simon Burns: Our NHS White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS' makes clear we want pharmacists, working with doctors and other health professionals, to have an important and expanding role in optimising the use of medicines and supporting better health.
	Subject to available funding and ensuring we strike the right balance between incentivising uptake and demonstrating positive patient outcomes, We support moves, currently being discussed between NHS Employers and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, to better focus resources on patients who can benefit most. This includes better targeting of medicines use review services and supporting patients with a long-term condition who are newly prescribed a medicine to derive the maximum benefit from their treatment.
	Our forthcoming Public Health White Paper will set out our commitment to further developing the contribution of community pharmacies, a valuable and trusted public health resource, to improve health and well-being and reduce health inequalities. The Department's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Dr Keith Ridge, will be working with the public health community to realise pharmacy's potential.
	In addition, primary care trusts are to publish their final pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) by 1 February 2011 following local consultation. PNAs, closely aligned to joint strategic needs assessments, are to be a strategic planning tool on which future commissioning decisions for effective community pharmacy services which demonstrate good patient outcomes are to be taken.

Respiratory Diseases: Health Services

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hospital admissions there were for  (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and  (b) all respiratory diseases in (i) the Hove Primary Care Trust area and (ii) each other primary care trust area in each year since 2007;
	(2)  how many hospital bed days there were for  (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and  (b) all respiratory diseases in (i) the Hove Primary Care Trust area and (ii) each other primary care trust area in (A) 2007, (B) 2008 and (C) 2009.

Simon Burns: This information has been placed in the Library.

South West Essex Primary Care Trust: Expenditure

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the level of expenditure at South West Essex primary care trust; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department has not received any formal representations on the level of expenditure at South West Essex primary care trust (PCT).
	However, the Department has received a small number of correspondence to do with the PCT's funding and commissioning decisions and the effect of the turnaround plan which the PCT has put in place in order to meet its statutory duty to break even at the end of the financial year.

Dietary Supplements: EU Law

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Ministers in his Department last met the European Commissioner for Health and Consumers; whether the matters of the effects of the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the provisions of article 5 of the EU food supplements directive was discussed; when Ministers in his Department next plan to meet the Commissioner; and whether the agenda for that meeting will include the setting of such levels.

Anne Milton: I wrote to European Commissioner John Dalli in October to raise industry concerns and I met with him on 19 November to discuss this issue. The Commissioner recognises the concerns raised and has provided reassurance that the levels will be set based on risk assessment and potential harm and take account the concerns expressed by all interested parties. No further meetings are planned at this stage.
	The Department works closely with the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to secure the UK's objectives in negotiations. However, the European Commission has yet to publish its proposal for maximum levels and discussions are not expected to resume until spring 2011.

EDUCATION

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education to what projects and programmes he plans to allocate funds saved as a result of spending reductions in respect of Building Schools for the Future.

Nick Gibb: Savings from the cancellation of the wasteful Building Schools for the Future programme will not be separately allocated, but will contribute to allocation to real need when the capital spending review is completed.
	On 5 July the Government launched a review of all areas of the Department for Education's capital spending. Its purpose is to ensure that schools capital is spent efficiently and in ways that meet real need. Future investment will be focused on ensuring that there are sufficient school places and to addressing the condition need of the educational estate. The capital review team will complete its work by the end of the calendar year.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Bolton

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to meet representatives of Bolton Council to discuss the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

Nick Gibb: My noble Friend Lord Hill of Oareford has written to the Director of Corporate Resources at Bolton metropolitan borough council offering to meet members of the council and local MPs.

Children: Service Personnel

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department makes available additional per capita funding for the children of service personnel.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 16 November 2010
	No specific additional funding is currently provided by the Department for Education for the children of service personnel. We are considering the responses to the consultation on school funding which ended on 18 October, which included proposals to extend the pupil premium to the children of service personnel and provide additional support to schools who experience a high turnover of children from service families.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people at  (a) Regent College and  (b) Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College receive education maintenance allowance.

Nick Gibb: It is not possible to provide information about the number of young people at Regent College or Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College who receive an education maintenance allowance. Neither the Department for Education nor the Young People's Learning Agency holds information about EMA take-up by individual institution.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on his proposed changes to education maintenance allowance.

Nick Gibb: Between 20 October and 5 November 2010, the Department for Education has received a total of 76 letters and emails about the changes to the education maintenance allowance (EMA) scheme. Ministers have also recently met the Association of Colleges where this issue was raised.
	The EMA scheme will close at the end of the current academic year. It will be replaced by an enhanced learner support fund, managed locally, which will target support more closely to those young people facing the most significant financial barriers to participation.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the replacement for the education maintenance allowance.

Nick Gibb: The education maintenance allowance scheme will close at the end of the 2010-11 academic year and no new applications will be processed from 1 January 2011. It will be replaced by an enhanced Discretionary Learner Support Fund. Decisions about which young people should receive financial support from the Discretionary Learner Support Fund will be made by schools, colleges and training providers, who are in a better position than Government to determine the needs of individual students. They will target support to those young people who most need it to continue in education.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people in each local authority in England were in receipt of education maintenance allowance in 2009-10.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Westminster North with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in  Hansard and the House Libraries.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Ashton-in-Makerfield

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in Makerfield constituency claimed education maintenance allowance in each of the last three years.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 11 November 2010
	This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Makerfield with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Bolton

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people in Bolton claimed education maintenance allowance in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Bolton North East with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Liverpool

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students at schools and colleges in Liverpool have received education maintenance allowance payments in each of the last five years; and how much the average annual grant received by such students was in each such year.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 11 November 2010
	This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Liverpool Riverside with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in  Hansard and the House Libraries.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Northumberland

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in  (a) Wansbeck constituency and  (b) Northumberland have received education maintenance allowance in the last 12 months.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Wansbeck with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Public Expenditure

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on education maintenance allowance in 2009-10; and what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on the replacement scheme for education maintenance allowance in 2014-15.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 25 October 2010
	£569 million was spent on education maintenance allowance in 2009-10. £26 million has been invested in 2010-11 in a discretionary learner support fund. With the ending of EMA, this fund will be increased. Further details will be announced in due course.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students normally resident in Warrington North constituency receive education maintenance allowance; and what estimate he has made of the number who will receive this allowance following implementation of proposals in the comprehensive spending review.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 25 October 2010
	Figures on take-up of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) are a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the scheme for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Warrington North with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Wimbledon

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of young people in Wimbledon constituency in receipt of education maintenance allowance.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Wimbledon with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in  Hansard and the House Libraries.

Education: Children

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effects on the educational attainment of children of the undertaking by a parent of military service in Afghanistan.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 16 November 2010
	Research by the Department shows that service children who regularly move schools tend to underperform and several studies have found that children in military families face certain social and emotional challenges. But overall, a higher proportion of service children achieve expected levels in English and mathematics at key stage 1 and 2 than their peers; and a higher proportion achieve five A*-C GCSEs. However, it remains important that schools are aware of the challenges facing children of those who are on active service, or who have recently returned from active service, and are ready to offer appropriate support when necessary.

Education: Finance

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level of funding his Department has allocated to  (a) the Dedicated Schools Grant,  (b) the School Standards Grant and School Standards Grant (Personalisation),  (c) the School Development Grant,  (d) the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant,  (e) the Early Years: Extending and increasing the flexibility of the entitlement for three to four year olds grant,  (f) the School Lunch grant,  (g) Extended Schools grants within the Standards Fund,  (h) the General Annual Grant for all academies,  (i) resources devolved to schools for school improvement,  (j) funding for one-to-one provision and  (k) Every Child interventions in 2010-11.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 19 October 2010
	2010-11 allocations through the Dedicated Schools Grant, School Standards Grant and Standards Fund (to which  (c) to  (k) relate) are available on the Department's website through the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding

Education: Finance

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which of his Department's  (a) grants and  (b) funding streams it classifies as core schools funding.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 19 October 2010
	As part of the announcement of the outcome of the spending review announced on 20 October 2010, we confirmed that the following grants/funding streams are protected and form the core budget for schools going forward:
	Funds allocated for one-to-one tuition
	Every Child programmes
	Extended schools
	School lunch grant
	School standards grant
	School development grant
	Specialist schools grant
	Ethnic minority achievement grant
	National Strategies' budgets that were allocated to schools
	Dedicated schools grant
	Academies running costs.

Engineering: Specialised Diplomas

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding he plans to make available for the engineering diploma qualification in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We anticipate funding local authorities with a total of £8.6 million of diploma formula grant for the engineering diploma in 2010-11 for 14 to 16-year-olds, based on the forecast key stage 4 diploma student numbers that they submitted to the Department in July 2010. This funding is in addition to mainstream funding for schools. Places for engineering diploma students aged 16 to 18 are fully funded by the Young People's Learning Agency, as with all accredited qualifications, but their allocations to institutions are not made on the basis of specific qualifications and as such we cannot say how much will fund the engineering diploma in 2010-11. Further details on funding for 2011-12 will be made clear when the Department for Communities and Local Government announces local authority allocations and on the publication of the statement of priorities for the Young People's Learning Agency.

Free Schools

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many proposals to establish a free school his Department has received from  (a) individuals,  (b) groups and  (c) organisations to date; and how many such applications have been granted agreement to proceed to the next stage in each such category to date.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has received over 130 Free School proposals since the launch of the policy, from individuals, groups and organisations. On 5 November, names of the first 25 Free School proposals approved to progress to business case and plan stage were published on the Department's website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/freeschools

Free Schools

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the likely number of free schools in September 2011.

Nick Gibb: As of 5 November 2010, 25 Free School proposals have been approved to progress to the business case and plan stage, most of which are aiming to open in September 2011.

Free Schools: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many expressions of interest in the free schools scheme he has received from groups based in  (a) Birmingham local education authority area and  (b) Birmingham Hall Green constituency.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold, collect or receive expressions of interest about Free Schools. To date, there have been 11 Free School proposals from the Birmingham local authority area and six from the Birmingham Hall Green constituency.

New Schools Network

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to complete his Department's performance review of the grant provided to the New Schools Network for the administration of the free schools programme; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 8 November 2010
	Under its grant agreement with the Department, New Schools Network (NSN) provides advice to groups wishing to establish Free Schools. NSN does not administer the Free Schools programme.
	As with any arrangement of this nature, regular monitoring and review will be carried out by the Department. An interim review of performance against the grant agreement is scheduled for February 2011.

New Schools Network: Freedom of Information

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2011,  Official Report, column 612W, on the New Schools Network, on what date he plans to reply to the request made by Mr Singer under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and how many days have elapsed since the date on which the response was due to be made.

Nick Gibb: Mr Singer's Freedom of Information request was answered on 14 October 2010, approximately two months after the due date.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date he expects the first cash payments under the proposed pupil premium formula to be made to schools.

Nick Gibb: Our intention is that the pupil premium will be payable from 2011. The consultation on school funding that we launched on 26 July 2010 ended on 18 October 2010 and we are now considering over 700 responses that we have received. Exact details about how the grant will be paid and the exact date of its introduction have, therefore, not yet been determined. A statement of the outcome of the consultation will be made shortly.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  whether he has plans to provide additional financial support to schools with a high number of deprived pupils after the introduction of the pupil premium;
	(2)  what his timetable is for setting the criteria for determining which pupils will qualify for the pupil premium.

Nick Gibb: The Government have no plans to provide additional funding further to what we announced in the spending review for the pupil premium, in addition to the underlying schools budget. The pupil premium will rise progressively year on year to £2.5 billion in 2014-15.
	We have publicly consulted on the methodology of the pupil premium and are currently considering responses. We will announce further information about the pupil premium-including details of criteria for the premium-in good time to give notice to schools and local authorities.

Pupils: Travellers

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate his Department has made of the number of children of school age in communities of  (a) Gypsy or Roma and  (b) Travellers of Irish heritage who are not in full-time education; and whether his Department plans to ensure that full-time education is received by all children in such communities.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 11 November 2010
	Information about the number of children who are not in full-time education is not collected centrally.
	Local authorities in England and Wales have had, since February 2007, a statutory duty to make arrangements to identify all children missing from education in their area. The duty applies in relation to children of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll, and who are not receiving a suitable education otherwise than being at school (for example, being educated at home, privately educated or in alternative provision).
	It is important that schools and local authorities implement the systems and regulations and follow the guidance in place around keeping registers, excluding pupils and removing pupils from the school roll. Schools must fulfil their requirement to inform local authorities when pupils' names are deleted from the school roll or have "disappeared" following 10 days unauthorised absence from the school. Notifying the local authority is important because the local authority can then attempt to trace the children and ensure that any pupils whose names removed from the roll of a school are receiving a suitable education.

School Sport Partnerships

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence he evaluated in his assessment of School Sport Partnerships.

Nick Gibb: The annual PE and sport survey has collected data relating to PE and school sport since 2003. The 2009-10 survey showed that, after investment of £2.4 billion of Exchequer and lottery funding and seven years of work, only around two in every five pupils play competitive sport regularly within their own school, and only one in five plays regularly against other schools. The coalition Government are committed to creating an annual Olympic-style school sport event to encourage more competitive sport in schools. Our approach differs fundamentally from that of the last Government. While the network of school sport partnerships helped schools to increase participation rates in areas targeted by the previous Government, the proportion of pupils playing regular competitive sport has remained disappointingly low.

Schools: Capital Investment

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much and what proportion of school capital spending the Minister expects to allocate to  (a) existing comprehensive schools,  (b) existing academies,  (c) new comprehensive schools and  (d) new academies or free schools in each year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Nick Gibb: The review of DfE capital led by Sebastian James has all aspects of DFE capital within scope, including capital for schools of all types as well as for other children's services. It is due to report to Ministers by the end of the calendar year. In the light of its advice, and as soon as possible after it has reported, Ministers will take decisions on the allocation and management of DFE capital. As such, it is not yet possible to state what the proportions will be for schools of each type.

Schools: Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will make an estimate of the number of redundancies likely to be made by schools as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review;
	(2)  if he will make an estimate of likely cost to schools of staff redundancy arising from spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review.

Nick Gibb: We have made no estimate. Overall, funding for schools-including funding for the new pupil premium-will rise in real terms over the CSR period. We are providing maximum flexibility to schools in relation to how they spend the budgets allocated to them. It is for governors and head teachers to decide how best to use their budgets to ensure the best outcomes for their pupils. Due to the public sector pay freeze, increases in schools costs will be below real terms.

Schools: Rural Areas

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to continue measures to prevent the closure of rural schools; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We recognise the importance of preserving access to a local school for rural communities. We, therefore, plan for the presumption against closure of rural schools to continue. The presumption does not mean that a rural school will never close, but the case for closure should be strong and in the best interests of educational provision in the area. As existing guidance makes clear, where schools are closing to be replaced by an academy there is a general presumption that closures will be approved.

Schools: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much capital spending he plans to allocate to schools in Warrington in the next four financial years; and which schools in Warrington will be  (a) rebuilt and  (b) refurbished under the Government's new capital programme.

Nick Gibb: Capital allocations for the next four years for Warrington and other local authorities have yet to be determined. It is therefore not possible at this stage to estimate how many schools will be rebuilt or refurbished. The review of all areas of Department for Education's capital spending will enable us to use capital more effectively and efficiently. We will focus capital where it is most needed: areas that need new places for rising pupil numbers and schools in the worst condition. Capital will be spent more efficiently than the bureaucratic and wasteful Building Schools for the Future programme.
	The Secretary of State for Education announced the review on 5 July and it is due to report to Ministers by the end of the calendar year. We will announce allocations as soon as possible.

Special Educational Needs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information local authorities are required to provide to parents of deaf children on  (a) the number of teachers with a mandatory qualification in teaching deaf children,  (b) specialist provision for deaf children and  (c) outcomes of assessments of the standard and effectiveness of services for deaf children in their areas.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 15 November 2010
	We do not routinely collect data regarding the number of teachers of the hearing impaired by region. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that teachers of the hearing impaired possess the appropriate mandatory qualification to undertake the role. It is a matter for local authorities to ensure that they have enough qualified teachers to meet their statutory commitments.
	The school work force census should from November 2011 collect data on what additional qualifications teachers have and this will allow us, for the first time, to ascertain the numbers of teachers who possess the mandatory qualification for teaching children with sensory impairments.
	The Department does not require local authorities to provide specific information on deaf children. However, the Special Educational Needs (Provision of Information by Local Education Authorities) Regulations 2001 and the School Information Regulations 2008 require local authorities to publish their arrangements and policies on the provision available for children with special educational needs, which will include deaf children.
	The Special Educational Needs Information Act (2008) requires the annual publication of information about children in England with special educational needs. The information published includes local authority data on outcomes for these children by SEN type, including hearing impairment, at key stages 2 and 4 in English, Maths and Science.

Special Educational Needs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many communication support workers for deaf children are employed in  (a) Lancashire and  (b) England.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 15 November 2010
	We do not routinely collect data regarding the number of communication support workers for deaf children in mainstream schools either nationally or by region.
	It is a matter for local authorities to ensure that their work force is sufficient to meet their statutory commitments.

Teachers: Males

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to increase the number of male primary school teachers.

Nick Gibb: The Government are currently considering a wide range of issues around the future of teacher training and, in particular, what steps they should take to ensure that we have an adequate supply of high quality teachers, and how the best people can be attracted into the profession. The number of men teaching in primary schools is one of these issues.

Teachers: Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of teachers likely to be made redundant as a result of the spending reductions proposed in the comprehensive spending review.

Nick Gibb: We have made no estimate. Overall, funding for schools-including funding for the new pupil premium-will rise in real terms over the CSR period. We are providing maximum flexibility to schools in relation to how they spend the budgets allocated to them. It is for governors and head teachers to decide how best to use their budgets to ensure the best outcomes for their pupils. Due to the public sector pay freeze, increases in schools costs will be below real terms.

Teaching Methods

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's press notice on the 2010 Spending Review of 20 October 2010, what mechanism he plans to adopt to divide between schools the funding previously allocated to the Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts programmes after this academic year;
	(2)  whether funding previously allocated by his Department to the Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts programmes will be divided between all schools when calculating the baseline budget for 2010-11.

Nick Gibb: Funding for Every Child a Reader (ECAR) and Every Child Counts (ECC) is part of the schools budget announced in the spending review, which will increase by 0.1% in real terms each year. Details of school funding allocations for 2011-12 will be announced later in the autumn. It will be for local authorities, in consultation with their Schools Forum, to decide whether to take account of the previous level of this funding in each school when making their 2011-12 allocations to schools.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will prepare an implementation plan for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in England;
	(2)  whether his Department has made specific budgetary provision for co-ordinating the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 28 October 2010
	This Government are committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and to its implementation in the UK. The education, health and well-being of children are vitally important for our society and the principles and standards defined in the convention are an important framework for our thinking.
	The coalition Government are committed to specific policies that will progress the UN Committee's Concluding Observations. These include: ending the detention of children for immigration purposes; eradicating child poverty; supporting children that are most vulnerable and improving child protection; encouraging and enabling young people to engage in decision-making at national level and in their communities and combating negative perceptions. We are also reviewing the role of the Children's Commissioner in the context of the Government's commitment to the UNCRC. A statement and evidence of compliance will be prepared as a platform for the next report to the UN Committee in 2014.
	The spending review has set out departmental budgets in broad terms and will allow for Department of State functions such as supporting implementation of the UNCRC.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Grants

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which organisations his Department has  (a) made grants in 2010-11 and  (b) allocated grants for (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and what the monetary value of each such grant is.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 23 November 2010
	Budgeted expenditure on grants in 2010-11 is £804.3 million. Budgets are set by programme rather than recipient organisation. The following breakdown represents amounts paid or committed so far in 2010-11. Some budgeted amounts are unallocated at this point in the year. The breakdown shows individual organisations or sectors receiving £l million or more:
	
		
			  Organisation  £ million 
			 Over 180,000 Households 334.2 
			 World Bank 250.0 
			 Carbon Trust 99.1 
			 Energy Savings Trust 36.5 
			 Private sector companies<£1m 10.9 
			 NaREC 6.8 
			 Wave Hub 6.5 
			 European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC| 5.7 
			 Clipper Windpower Marine Ltd 5.7 
			 Siemens plc 5.0 
			 Technology Strategy Board 4.0 
			 Vestas Technology UK Ltd 3.7 
			 JDR Cable systems Ltd 2.0 
			 Burntisland Fabrications Ltd 1.5 
			 Highview Power Storage 1.1 
			 Scottish Hydro 1.0 
			 Converteam Technology Ltd 1.0 
			 Local communities 3.5 
			 Local government 1.1 
			 Others <£1 million 0.7 
			 Planned but not yet allocated 24.3 
			 Total 804.3 
		
	
	Grants to household relate mainly to measures to improve the fuel efficiency of homes. Grants to private sector companies relate mainly to the development of renewables technology.
	Budgets for 2011-12 and 2012-13 have not yet been set. A business planning exercise is currently under way to determine how the spending review settlement will be allocated.

Energy

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the proportion of people who  (a) have switched energy tariffs,  (b) find energy suppliers' tariffs confusing and  (c) are able to identify potential savings from switching supplier since the completion of Ofgem's consumer engagement summary in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not hold the information requested. To meet its principal duty, to protect the interests of consumers, Ofgem collects relevant information, including on switching.
	Since the publication of their consumer engagement survey in August 2008 Ofgem has, in an update report published in March 2010, found that switching levels have fallen slightly, with 17% of gas customers and 18% of electricity customers switching during 2009, down from 20% for electricity and 19% for gas during 2008. However, Ofgem point out that this was in the context of the more static pricing strategies seen during 2009.
	This report also found that 8% of those who have never switched say they found the number of tariffs confusing. In addition, 67% of customers who had switched their electricity supplier and 64% who had switched their gas supplier believe they are now paying less as a result of their switch. This is a statistically significant improvement for electricity where, in 2008, 62% said they believed they were paying less than they would have without switching.
	The Ofgem report is available online at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Markets/RetMkts/ensuppro/Documents1/Update%20on%20Probe %20Monitoring_FINAL.pdf
	The primary research conducted by MORI for Ofgem is also available online at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Publications/Documents1/Ipsos-MORI% 20switchingsurvey2009.pdf

Energy: Overseas Companies

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department plans to allocate to assist UK companies working overseas to  (a) increase the availability of energy supplies and  (b) take advantage of business opportunities in that sector in each year of the spending review period.

Charles Hendry: Funding is not allocated directly to UK companies working overseas, however, increasing global investment in essential oil and gas production and promoting low carbon growth while maximising opportunities for UK energy companies are priorities for the Department. We will continue to work closely in this area with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Investment over the spending review period.

Geothermal Power

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage the use of deep geothermal energy generation.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Energy and Climate Change is helping to develop the UK deep geothermal sector through its Deep Geothermal Challenge Fund (DGCF). The Government announced £1 million for the second round of the DGCF in July 2010, and the review of bids is currently under way.
	The Government recognise the potential for deep geothermal energy to deliver low carbon, renewable and non-intermittent electricity and heat in the UK, contributing to our targets on climate change and energy security.

Oil and Gas: Prices

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely trends in the price of  (a) oil and  (b) gas in the next five years.

Charles Hendry: The Department for Energy and Climate Change does not publish energy price forecasts. It publishes oil, gas and coal price assumptions for the period till 2030, which are used in the Department's analytical work. These assumptions can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/media/viewfile.ashx?file type=4&filepath=Statistics/Projections/69-annex-f--fossil-fuel-and-retail-price-assumptions.xlsx&minwidth=true

Renewable Energy

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department plans to allocate to encourage  (a) the development of renewable energy and  (b) the efficient use of energy in the next three years.

Charles Hendry: The main financial mechanisms that the Government have to incentivise the generation of renewable electricity are the Renewables Obligation (RO) and the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme:
	The RO supports large-scale generation of renewable electricity. Since its introduction in 2002, it has tripled the level of renewable electricity in the UK from 1.8% to 6.7%(1) in 2009, and is currently worth around £1.4 billion/year(2) in support to the renewable electricity industry. The spending review announced that this level of funding will continue, confirming the Government's commitment to the increase of renewable electricity. The Electricity Market Reform consultation document is due to be published next month and will set out proposals for changes to the existing market in order to meet our renewables and decarbonisation goals. But whatever the proposal, Government understands the need for investor certainty, and is not looking to make retrospective changes.
	The FIT scheme was launched on 1 April of this year and supports small-scale low carbon electricity generation up to 5 MW (2 kW for microCHP) in capacity. Initial figures for the first six months of the scheme (taken from Ofgem's online database) indicate that 8,960 installations commissioned since the announcement of the scheme in July 2009 were supported. This amounts to a total installed capacity of 35.8 MW.
	In addition, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is due to go ahead in June 2011 to support renewable heat. We expect to be in a position to announce the details of the scheme before the end of this year.
	DECC will continue to fund a targeted Warm Front programme for the next two years to provide support for heating and insulation measures for the most vulnerable households. Warm Front and associated fuel poverty funding of £110 million in 2011-12 and £100 million in 2012-13 will be available.
	In addition, to December 2012 energy companies are expected to invest more than £2 billion in the promotion of energy efficiency measures to householders to achieve their obligations under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and Community Energy Saving Programme.
	The Green Deal, which will be introduced in late 2012, will provide households and businesses energy efficiency improvements at no up-front cost, with consumers repaying through the savings they make on their energy bills.
	(1) Department of Energy and Climate Change, June 2010 Energy Trends.
	(2) Ofgem:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/Environment/RenewablObl/Pages/RenewablObl.aspx

PRIME MINISTER

Armed Forces: Afghanistan

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Prime Minister on what date the National Security Council first discussed the decision that the armed forces would cease their combat role in Afghanistan by 2015.

David Cameron: It is longstanding Government practice not to disclose information relating to ministerial meetings, including the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees, as to do so would put at risk the public interest in the full and frank discussion of policy by Ministers.

BBC

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2010,  Official Report, column 782W, on the BBC, whether  (a) he,  (b) civil servants and  (c) special advisers in his Office have had meetings with the Director-General of the BBC since 1 August 2010 which are not to be listed in the published list of official meetings between Ministers and external organisations.

David Cameron: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 17 November 2010,  Official Report, column 782W.

Business: East of England

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Prime Minister on what date  (a) his Office received the petition from the East of England Space for Ideas Business Group and  (b) he responded to that petition.

David Cameron: My office received the petition from East of England Space for Ideas Business Group on 16 September 2010. A reply has been sent.

Trident Successor Programme

Michael Dugher: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether the National Security Council has made a recent  (a) estimate of the cumulative private finance initiative liabilities of the Ministry of Defence to 2020 and  (b) impact assessment on the effects of those liabilities of that Department's capacity to fund the Trident successor programme;
	(2)  whether the National Security Council has made a recent estimate of the level of unfunded liabilities in the long-term costings of the Ministry of Defence attributable to the Government's commitment to the Trident successor programme; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: It is longstanding Government practice not to disclose information relating to ministerial meetings, including the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees, as to do so would put at risk the public interest in the full and frank discussion of policy by Ministers.

TREASURY

Banks: Assets

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the implications of the Office of Fair Trading's inquiry into barriers to entry, expansion and exit in the UK banking market on the timetable for divestment of branch assets by part-nationalised banks; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the implications of the Government's policy to bring forward proposals to create a more competitive banking market on the timetable for the divestment of branch assets by part-nationalised banks; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: As a condition of European Commission approval for the state aid that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) have received, both banks have committed to divest branch-based retail assets by the end of 2013 at the latest. Subject to complying with the terms of the agreement with the Commission, the timing of the sales is a matter for the firms concerned.
	In June the Chancellor announced the establishment of the Independent Commission on Banking, chaired by Sir John Vickers, which will make recommendations to Government on promoting competition in the banking sector.

Banks: Finance

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to increase representation by UK Financial Investments Ltd on the boards of banks in receipt of public funding.

Mark Hoban: The Government's shareholdings in banks are managed on a commercial and arm's length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI). UKFI are required to do this in a way that is consistent with the Treasury's aim not to be a permanent investor in UK financial institutions-the Government are clear that British banks are best owned and managed commercially.
	UKFI believe that Government investee banks need strong boards, and work with banks to achieve this. The appointments process to the boards of RBS and Lloyds are run by their nominations committee, and UKFI works with the banks' boards in line with the Framework Document remit to strengthen membership through the appointment of suitably qualified, independent non-executives.
	Under UK company law, directors cannot represent individual shareholders' interests. Accordingly, while these directors have been appointed with the agreement of UKFI, they are not and cannot be UKFI's representatives and will not report directly to them.

Credit Unions

Chris Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to lay before Parliament for approval a draft Legislative Reform (Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions) Order; what discussions he has had on revisions to the draft order laid before Parliament on 8 March 2010; what revisions he plans to make in consequence; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Government are committed to the mutuals sector, as set out in the coalition agreement. The proposed Legislative Reform Order (LRO) includes a number of measures designed to modernise the operation of industrial and provident societies and credit unions.
	The Treasury is considering the reports of the House of Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee and of the House of Commons Regulatory Reform Committee. I expect the LRO to be re-laid for final scrutiny shortly.

Equitable Life Assurance Society

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of progress in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the special report of the Parliamentary Ombudsman on Equitable Life, Injustice unremedied: the Government's response to Equitable Life, Session 2008-09, HC435.

Mark Hoban: In our programme for government, we stated that we would:
	"implement the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman's recommendation to make fair and transparent payments to Equitable Life policy holders, through an independent payment scheme, for their relative loss as a consequence of regulatory failure."
	On 20 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 949-65, as part of the spending review we announced that we have made up to £1.5 billion available to fund the scheme and that the first payments to policyholders would be made by the middle of next year.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had on methods of providing compensation for Equitable Life policyholders.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he plans to make the first payments to Equitable Life policyholders affected by maladministration in the regulation of that society; what estimate he has made of the total sum to be paid to policyholders; and to how many policyholders he expects to make payment.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 20 October 2010
	We are committed to making payments as quickly as is possible and our ambition is to make first payments in the middle of 2011. The Chancellor's spending review statement to the House on 20 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 949-65, set out that in the region of £1.5 billion would be made available for the scheme.
	The Government have established the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments, chaired by Brian Pomeroy, which will make recommendations on how to design the payments scheme including how to allocate payments between the policyholders who have suffered relative loss as a result of regulatory failure.

EU Member States: Child Benefit

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will discuss with his EU counterparts an amendment to EU Regulation 883/2004 to remove from non-UK workers from other EU member states the entitlement to claim child benefit at the UK rate in respect of children not resident in the UK.

Justine Greening: holding answer 2 November 2010
	HM Revenue and Customs and the Treasury have regular discussions with EU counterparts as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The UK has administered the EC social security co-ordinating regulations (EC Regulation 1408/71, with effect from 1 May 2010 EC Regulation 883/2004) since it joined the European Economic Community in 1973. The regulations protect the social security rights of nationals of all member states, including the UK, and their families when exercising rights of free movement within the European Economic Area. Amendments to the regulations require a proposal by the European Commission and are subject to co-decision with the European Parliament and the Council.
	Moreover, without reciprocity to remove the equivalent family benefit entitlement of UK nationals who work and pay compulsory social insurance contributions in other member states, the amendment as proposed would breach one of the fundamental principles of EC law that there must be no discrimination on the grounds of nationality when applying the rights set out in the treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and other measures in Community law to give effect to such rights.

Mortgages: Certification

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to end self certification of mortgages; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The coalition Government believe that it is right for the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to ensure that the UK mortgage market has responsible lending practices. This will ensure a sustainable market that works better for consumers.
	HM Treasury will continue to work with the FSA, mortgage lenders and consumer groups to ensure a mortgage market that is sustainable for all participants.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer question 21217, on amendment to child benefit regulations, tabled by the hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire on 28 October 2010 for answer on 2 November 2010.

Justine Greening: I have now replied to the hon. Member.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biodiversity

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the 2010 targets for priority species and habitats under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan were last renewed; and when she expects next to renew them.

Richard Benyon: UK Biodiversity Action Plan targets for England were last renewed in 2006.
	We have committed in our Structural Reform Plan to publishing a new England Biodiversity Strategy next April, setting out our new approach.
	Biodiversity targets for species and habitats in other parts of the UK are a matter for the devolved administrations.

Common Fisheries Policy

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions she has held with representatives of the  (a) Scottish and  (b) UK fishing industry on reductions in bycatch through changes to (i) the use of equipment and (ii) fishing practices;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with representatives of the  (a) Scottish and  (b) UK fishing industry on the use of larger net mesh sizes to minimise the catch of juvenile cod;
	(3)  what her policy is on negotiating at EU level for differential catch quotas within the UK in order to incentivise lower bycatch and discard rates;
	(4)  what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of  (a) temporary localised fishing bans and  (b) CCTV on vessels to monitor catches in reducing levels of bycatch in the North Sea;
	(5)  what estimate she has made of the quantity and proportion of dead fish caught in UK waters which were discarded at sea in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(6)  what her policy is on negotiations on reform of the EU common fisheries policy to minimise the number of dead fish caught in UK waters which are discarded at sea by means of a limit on the total amounts of fish  (a) caught and  (b) landed.

Richard Benyon: The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (CEFAS) and Marine Scotland Science send scientific observers to sea with fishermen to sample the quantity of fish discarded and retained by fishing vessels. This sampling is intended to provide estimates of discards of the main commercial species, but at present is not fully representative of all UK fisheries. It is only possible to sample a proportion of the vessels participating in any fishery.
	Approximately 294,878 tonnes of quota stocks were landed into port by UK vessels in 2009. Estimates of landings and discards by English and Welsh vessels fishing in UK waters in 2009 were provided for the following fisheries:
	 Areas:
	North Sea (ICES area IV), and waters to the south and west of England and Wales (ICES VII).
	 Fleet:
	English and Welsh demersal fishing vessels (over 10 metres in length).
	 Species:
	Demersal fish (species that live on or near the seafloor eg cod, haddock, plaice, sole, anglerfish etc.).
	 Estimated landings and discards:
	30,160 tonnes were landed and 18,500 tonnes were discarded.
	 Areas:
	North Sea IVa (pelagic mackerel and herring).
	 Fleet:
	UK vessels fishing for pelagic species.
	 Species:
	Mackerel and herring.
	 Estimated landings and discards:
	68,347 tonnes were landed and 8,278 tonnes were discarded.
	 Areas:
	North Sea, West Coast and Northern Shelf.
	 Fleet:
	Scottish vessels
	 Species:
	Cod, haddock, whiting and saithe.
	 Estimated landings and discards:
	59,763 tonnes were landed and 24,401 tonnes were discarded.
	We are urging all member states and EU institutions to take the opportunity through reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP) to radically overhaul the way we manage fisheries in order to overcome the CFP's serious failures, not least in addressing discards. We want a reformed CFP to provide the incentives and regulatory framework to enable us to catch less but land more, for example replacing landing based quota with catch quotas.
	The UK has been piloting an alternative quota management system for cod based on catch quotas (a quota for what you catch rather than land at port). Interim results from these trials are positive; discards of cod are low (1-7%) and fishermen are fishing more selectively in order to maximise the value of their catches. The interim report is available from the CEFAS website at:
	http://www.cefas.co.uk/
	An expansion of this scheme, both in terms of the number and type of vessel participating and the number of species, is essential to gain further evidence on the wider application of catch quotas in mixed fisheries. The European Commission and their technical advisers (The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries) are supportive of our intentions to expand the scheme.
	Discussions regularly take place with representatives of the fishing industry on reducing discards through improving gear selectivity and altering fishing practices. For example, the Discard Action Group is a forum, facilitated by seafish, that brings industry, managers, scientists, and seafood organisations together to discuss research, share knowledge and come up with novel ways to reduce discards. The industry has been encouraged through such groups to use gear modifications or methods which are successful at reducing discards.
	There are many examples of collaborative work to reduce discards which have been carried out by the UK fishing industry in partnership with the UK fisheries departments. The Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP) is one example of a continuing initiative to encourage industry-led research on a range of subjects, including the trials of alternative fishing gears, eg square mesh panels used to reduce the bycatch of cod in other whitefish and prawn (Nephrops) fisheries.
	The UK has been at the forefront of encouraging uptake of measures to reduce discards of cod. For example, this has been achieved through the Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme and English/Northern Irish equivalents. Incentives of extra days at sea for the industry are used to encourage uptake of selectivity measures (eg increasing mesh sizes) to reduce the bycatch and subsequent discarding of juvenile cod. Since 2009, this scheme has been enhanced with mandatory real time closures (RTCs) in operation throughout the cod recovery zone. We believe that localised RTCs provide the necessary protection for local aggregations of fish, and that these closures are beneficial for the health of the protected stock.
	The industry has also been involved in targeted regional pilots like 'Project 50%'. On average vessels participating in these trials managed to reduce discards in the South West beam trawl fleet by an average of 52%.

Common Fisheries Policy

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with  (a) the Scottish Government and  (b) her EU counterparts on reform of the EU common fisheries policy;
	(2)  what recent representations she has received from representatives of the  (a) Scottish and  (b) UK fishing industry on reform of the common fisheries policy.

Richard Benyon: I and my officials have held regular discussions on reform of the EU common fisheries policy (CFP) with the Scottish Government in recent months, including at a ministerial event in Aberdeen in October, which also involved the EU Fisheries Commissioner. I will be discussing CFP reform with EU ministerial colleagues at November's EU Fisheries Council.
	I have also received written and oral representations on CFP reform from a broad spectrum of fisheries interests from across the UK, including fishing organisations from Scotland.

Departmental Postal Services

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the monetary value was of contracts between her Department and its predecessors and  (a) Post Office Ltd and  (b) Royal Mail in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) each year since 2004-05.

Richard Benyon: The Department was formed in 2001; to provide information for an earlier period would incur disproportionate cost.
	The table shows expenditure with  (a) Post Office Ltd and  (b) Royal Mail in each year since 2004-05 for the Department and its executive agencies.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Royal Mail  Post Office Ltd 
			 2004-05 3,560,278.91 0.00 
			 2005-06 2,339,553.99 310,671.18 
			 2006-07 3,599,076.73 314,930.33 
			 2007-08 2,867,327.31 106,429.90 
			 2008-09 2,760,311.75 0.00 
			 2009-10 2,913,127.91 0.00

Departmental Postal Services

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to identify those of its services that could be provided through the post office network.

Richard Benyon: The Department publishes its requirements under the Government and EU procurement standards and processes to allow all possible suppliers to make representations to secure contracts for government services. It is not allowed under these procurement standards to give preferential treatment to any supplier, seeking the best value for money provision.

Dogs: Electric Shock Collars

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she made of the merits of bringing forward proposals for a ban on electric shock collars for dogs.

James Paice: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Jim Fitzpatrick), 24 November 2010,  Official Report, column 293W.

EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Ministers in her Department have attended each EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting since 11 May 2010; and for how long each such Minister attended each such meeting.

Richard Benyon: Three DEFRA Ministers have attended EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council Meetings since 11 May 2010
	
		
			  Date of Council  Minister(s) attending  Duration of attendance (day s ) 
			 17 May 2010 Secretary of State 1 
			 29 June 2010 Minister of State for Agriculture and Food and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Fisheries 1 
			 12 July 2010 Minister of State for Agriculture and Food 1 
			 27 September 2010 Minister of State for Agriculture and Food 1 
			 26 October 2010 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Fisheries 1

Floods: Cornwall

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the total cost of clear up following the recent flooding in Cornwall.

Richard Benyon: Cornwall Council is continuing its clean up and recovery work following last week's flooding, and is assessing the damages caused and other costs incurred. No estimate has yet been made of the total costs. We also expect the Association of British Insurers will be assessing the costs to the insurance industry.

Food: Prices

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had at  (a) EU and  (b) UN level on (i) trends in global food prices in 2011-12 and (ii) levels of global production of corn and wheat.

James Paice: EU Ministers discussed cereal prices and their effect on the EU livestock sector at the September Agriculture and Fisheries Council. DEFRA officials also attend the Single Common Market Organisation Management Committee, at which the EU and global cereals market situation is reviewed on a fortnightly basis.
	At UN level DEFRA was represented at the Food and Agricultural Organisation's Committee on World Food Security in October and the Extraordinary Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Groups on Grains and Rice which preceded it in September.

Pygmy Sloths: Panama

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will provide conservation advice to the government of Panama to help preserve the pygmy sloth.

Richard Benyon: We have not been approached to provide conservation advice to the Government of Panama to help preserve the pygmy sloth.

Radioactive Waste

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to review her Department's policy on disposal of low-level nuclear waste.

Charles Hendry: I have been asked to reply.
	I have no current plans to review the policy for long-term management of solid low level radioactive waste in the United Kingdom, published on 26 March 2007. It is still in the implementation phase. An important part of that is the production of strategies for nuclear LLW and non-nuclear LLW, which will guide waste producers, regulators and waste planners on implementation of the policy. The nuclear strategy was published by the NDA in August this year and we will begin consultation on the non-nuclear one shortly. Once the policy is fully implemented it may then be appropriate to review its effectiveness.

Water Charges

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with  (a) the water industry,  (b) consumer groups and  (c) Ofwat since 11 May 2010 on the potential to allow trickle valves to be used by water companies in response to unpaid bills.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has had no discussions with the water industry, consumer groups or Ofwat regarding the use of trickle valves. The Government's view is that trickle valves would have the same health and social risks that underpin the current ban on disconnection.

CABINET OFFICE

Big Society Bank

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made on establishing the Big Society bank.

Nick Hurd: We are making good progress in delivering the Big Society Bank and expect it to have some functions in place in the second quarter of 2011 which will enable it to start making investments in early summer.
	This is dependent on a number of factors including the timing and volume of funds released by the banks and the Reclaim Fund.

Big Society

Russell Brown: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contribution the spending reductions identified through the comprehensive spending review process will make to the Government's objectives for the Big Society initiative.

Nick Hurd: Government action to support the Big Society consists of three strands:
	Transfer of real power to communities;
	Public service reform; and
	Support for social action.
	The comprehensive spending review, the Localism Bill, the Public Services White Paper and a White Paper on giving and social action will all help us deliver on our objectives.

Civil Servants: Conservative Party

Mary Glindon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Walsall North of 11 November 2010,  Official Report, column 429W, on civil servants: Conservative party, what the annual salary range is of each of the two former Conservative party staff who have been appointed to the civil service on fixed term contracts.

Francis Maude: The two individuals referred to are no longer employed as civil servants.

Statistics: EU Action

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans  (a) to approve proposals for or  (b) to accept the operation of stronger EU surveillance and enforcement mechanisms in respect of UK Government statistical data.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated November 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to answer your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans (a) to approve proposals for or (b) to accept the operation of stronger EU surveillance and enforcement mechanisms in respect of UK government statistical data (26454).
	The Office for National Statistics recognises the importance of high quality, harmonised statistics across the EU and the need to ensure minimum standards in methodology and processes associated with the European System of National Accounts.
	Therefore, the UK subscribes to the Council's conclusions and welcomes the second report of the European Statistics Governance Advisory Board (ESGAB) which calls upon:
	Member States to accelerate, where needed, their alignment of statistical legislation with the principles of the Code of Practice and the European Statistics Regulation; to step up the implementation of other national improvement actions in order to achieve full adherence to the Code of Practice; the Commission to reinforce the binding nature of the Code of Practice by enshrining in a legal act some of the minimum standards. Full implementation of the provisions in the code needs to be accelerated by the European Statistical System, in particular to reinforce mandates for data collection and to further enhance quality.
	Stronger surveillance and enforcement mechanisms will help to reinforce the confidence in European statistics, but any such measures should be appropriate, proportionate and respect the integrity and independence of UK National Statistics.

SCOTLAND

Citizens Advice

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2010,  Official Report, column 656W, on Citizens Advice Scotland, whether he plans to meet Citizens Advice Scotland to discuss the likely effects on it of the abolition of Consumer Focus.

Michael Moore: Scotland Office officials are meeting with Citizens Advice Scotland on 26 November when the impact on its operation of the transfer of functions from Consumer Focus Scotland will be discussed.

Citizens Advice

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2010,  Official Report, column 656W, on Citizens Advice Scotland, what assessment his Department has made to the likely effects on Citizens Advice Scotland of the closure of Consumer Focus.

Michael Moore: The transfer of functions from Consumer Focus Scotland to Citizens Advice Scotland will be examined in detail in the months to come. We will work with Citizens Advice Scotland and the Scottish Government to ensure the transfer works effectively.

Daylight Saving Bill

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his policy is on the provisions of the Daylight Saving Bill.

Michael Moore: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has previously set out clearly the position of the Government, which includes the Scotland Office: no change to British summer time can be made without the consensus of the whole United Kingdom.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of Questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Mundell: Between May 2010 and 12 November 2010, 171 parliamentary questions were tabled to the Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore) for ordinary written answer. Of these 111 (65%) were answered within five sitting days. 157 (92%) were answered within 10 sitting days. One question tabled during this time period had not received an answer by 18 November 2010.
	The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions so as to ensure that these average costs are increased in line with increases in underlying costs. The estimated cost of written questions that has applied from 20 January 2010 is £154.

Economic Growth

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has commissioned research on future economic growth in Scotland.

Michael Moore: To help support the continuance of a private sector recovery, the UK Government have taken decisive action to reduce the inherited deficit-the largest in peacetime history. There are encouraging signs for the Scottish economy with strong growth in quarter two of this year. However, there is no room for complacency and the Government will continue to establish the conditions to foster sustainable and balanced economic growth. The Treasury has responsibility for economic growth forecasts for the UK.

Equality: Public Sector

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the Minister for Women and Equalities on the implementation of the public sector duty on socio-economic inequalities contained in the Equality Act 2010 prior to 17 November 2010.

David Mundell: I am in regular contact with ministerial colleagues on matters of importance to Scotland, including issues related to the Equality Act 2010.

Political Appointments

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2010,  Official Report, column 657W, on political appointments, when his special adviser was appointed; and at what pay band that adviser is employed.

Michael Moore: My special adviser took up his appointment on 5 July 2010. He is employed on pay band 2.

JUSTICE

Departmental Public Expenditure

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what capital projects which were  (a) being planned and  (b) under way in April 2010 are estimated to cost over £10 million.

Kenneth Clarke: The following list represents projects  (a) planned and  (b) under way in April 2010. Our interpretation of projects under way is those projects greater than £10 million which have the approval of the Treasury. The authority in place at the time allowed the Ministry to commit to capital projects up to a value not exceeding £70 million per project. Within the Ministry's authority of £70 million, the projects in the planned list are referred to as under way, since the Treasury authority allows this.
	Some projects are greater than £70 million, and required Treasury approval. Expenditure may have been incurred on these projects, although the cases were under referral to the Treasury and therefore within the definition above were not under way. These are marked.
	Shared Services programme (unified HR and financial system for MoJ planned and under way)
	DISC infrastructure renewal (unified IT platform for courts and tribunals planned and under way)
	Estates Transformation Programme (three strands which include; (a) new HQ for NOMS forecast for 2010-11 over £10 million; (b) rationalise the number of HQ buildings, and (c) rationalise regional estates, planned for SR10, over £10 million and under way.)
	NOMIS (National Offender Management Information System Programme, Prison NOMIS completed, the remainder programme planned, the case was with HMT for approval)
	OMNI (Offender Management National Infrastructure project to support NOMIS planned and the case was with HMT for approval)
	OESS (Offender Employment Skills Services, planned, under way and less than £10 million in 2010-11, future SR10 period expenditure greater than £10 million)
	QUIP (Quantum Infrastructure Programme to support NOMS business needs, planned and under way).
	LSC IT Integrated Delivery Programme (planned and under way. Less than £10 million in 2010-11 but over £10 million in SR07)
	Westminster magistrates courts (planned and under way)
	Birmingham magistrates courts (land purchased, project planning completed, approval awaited by HMT, but now deferred under emergency budget, not under way)
	Newport (planned and under way although timing of the project to be confirmed)
	Camberwell magistrates courts (planned and underway although timing of the project to be confirmed)
	Sunderland justice centre (planned for the next SR period-now deferred, approval required by HMT, not under way)
	Aylesbury Crown court (planned and under way although timing of the project to be confirmed)
	Snaresbrook Crown court (planned and under way although timing of the project to be confirmed)
	West Bromwich and Wolverhampton law courts (planned for the next SR now deferred, HMT approval required, not under way)
	Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates courts (planned and under way April 2010)
	Woolwich Crown court (project planned and under way)
	Greenwich magistrates court (planned and under way although timing of the project to be confirmed)
	Inner London Crown court (to be confirmed, not underway HMT approval required)
	Camberwell magistrates courts (planned and under way although timing of the project to be confirmed)
	Liverpool magistrates court (planned off-balance sheet scheme, contract negotiations commenced, to be confirmed, not under way HMT approval required)
	Bolton Crown and magistrates court (planned off balance sheet scheme, to be confirmed, not under way HMT approval required)
	Salford county and magistrates court (planned off balance sheet scheme, to be confirmed, not under way HMT approval required)
	SUPS (courts business critical system replacements service upgrade project under £10 million in 2010-11, total over £10 million, planned and under way)
	MCOBS (magistrates courts operational business systems upgrades to LIBRA and Welsh Language elements (planned and under way, less than £10 million in 2010-11, scheme over £10 million in SR07)
	DARTS (digital audio recording transcriptions and storage, replacement of obsolete audio equipment in Crown and combined courts, planned and under way)
	New prison land purchases (expenditure in SR07 and SR10, planned and under way)
	The first three of five new prisons (1,500 place PFI units planned in SR10 and authorised by HMT and the major programmes review group therefore under way)
	Wetherby YOI (planned and under way)
	Parc prison (planned and under way, completed October 2010)
	Belmarsh West prison (PFI unit planned and under way 2010)
	Isis prison (planned and under way completed July)
	Maghull prison (planned and under way PFI unit)
	Moorland prison (planned and under way due to complete October 2011)
	Peterborough prison (planned now deferred)
	(The) Mount prison (planned now deferred)
	Featherstone prison (planned and under way)
	Glen Parva YOI, (planned in April 2010, not under way, requires HMT approval, expenditure into SR10 subject to emergency budget reductions and now cancelled)
	Cookham Wood YOI (under way, planned for SR10 and under review)
	Huntercombe YOI (under way, planned for SR10 and under review)
	In addition there were six prison maintenance projects planned and under way over £10 million; Warren Hill, Acklington, Erlestoke, Stocken, Featherstone, and Lewes.
	There were also two prison capital maintenance projects planned over £10 million but under review: Belmarsh and Stocken.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has made an assessment of the merits of bringing forward proposals to apply the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to  (a) the National Union of Students,  (b) the Local Government Association and  (c) other bodies in receipt of funding from the public purse.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are considering a range of options to increase transparency, including extending the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to additional public authorities. The Government will announce their intentions in due course.

Juries

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were summoned for jury service in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: There were 396,631 summons issued for jury service in 2009. Annual statistics on jury summons are published by the Ministry of Justice in the annual command paper "Judicial and Court Statistics". The most recent edition, presenting statistics for 2009, was published in September 2010.

National Probation Service: Manpower

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many probation service employees of each grade there were in probation areas on 31 December  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009; and if he will make a statement.  [Official Report, 21 December 2010, Vol. 520, c. 5-7MC.]

Crispin Blunt: The staff in post figures for the probation service by job group at 31 December 2006-2009 are shown in the following table.
	The table shows that there was an overall decrease in staff in post over the period of 1,339.26 FTE (down 6.3%).
	
		
			  Job group  2006  20 0 7  2008  2009 
			 Area/District Manager 174.39 185.60 198.74 160.78 
			 Assistant Chief Officer 306.50 300.68 269.38 281.66 
			 Chief Officer 42.00 42.00 42.00 42.00 
			 Deputy Chief Officer 80.35 72.17 53.50 42.81 
			 Middle Manager 1,616.55 1,596.22 1,799.58 1,716.61 
			 Other operational staff 618.19 615.76 711.82 692.14 
			 Other staff 175.12 114.57 191.84 234.08 
			 Practice Development Assessor 192.35 171.89 174.61 104.16 
			 Probation Officer 5,398.88 5,368.16 5,363.77 5,318.87 
			 Probation Services Officer 6,326.01 6,060.30 5,609.96 5,583.13 
			 Psychologist 27.50 17.20 20.04 15.02 
			 Senior practitioner 286.77 258.05 220.02 183.08 
			 Support staff-administration 4,564.31 4,494.75 4,643.23 4,342.34 
			 Support staff-other 251.27 297.54 749.43 728.33 
			 Trainee Probation Officer 1,134.09 1,138.00 903.04 402.90 
			 Treatment Manager 176.70 161.47 186.71 177.99 
			 Not recorded 0.00 0.00 2.00 5.82 
			 Sum 21,370.98 20,894.36 21,139.67 20,031.72

Payment and Enforcement Centre: Liverpool

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's Payment and Enforcement Centre in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts Service continually evaluates the performance of its business units. The Central Payments and Enforcement Centre in Liverpool has achieved a year-to-date payment rate of 91.5% against a target of 85%.

Prisons

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions his Department has had with the  (a) operators and  (b) financiers of prisons operated under the private finance initiative (PFI) to renegotiate (i) costs and (ii) contract specifications over the remaining period of each PFI contract; what the outcomes were of such discussions in respect of each such prison; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: The Minister for the Cabinet Office has been leading a programme of negotiation with the Government's top suppliers. This work was identified as a key element of the package of measures designed to deliver £6.2 billion of savings during 2010-11, and involves discussions across the portfolio of contracts each supplier holds with central Government. These discussions have progressed well and did financially benefit the MoJ. However, the specific details of these discussions are the subject of memorandum of understanding between the Cabinet Office and the suppliers which was completed in commercial confidential and can not be divulged.

Prisons: Drugs

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has allocated to drug treatment services in prisons for each year of the spending review period.

Crispin Blunt: We are not yet able to confirm what the future funding levels for drug recovery services for prisoners will be. We are working with the Department of Health to assess the impact of the spending review settlement and what this will mean for the delivery of health care interventions and services in prison, including how we continue to drive efficiencies to achieve better treatment results.

Reoffenders

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders who were treated for drug addiction while in prison in each of the last five years have reoffended; and how many of those offenders were classified as having been successfully treated.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the reoffending of offenders treated for drug addiction in prison.
	A survey of 1,435 adult prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in England and Wales in 2005-06 showed that 62% of offenders who had used drugs in the month before prison were reconvicted within a year of release. We cannot verify how many of the drug users underwent treatment for addiction when in prison. However, international reviews have concluded that, on balance, drug treatment reduces reoffending.

Secure Training Centres

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions  (a) his Department and  (b) the Youth Justice Board has had with the (i) operators and (ii) financiers of secure training centres operated under the private finance initiative (PFI) to renegotiate (A) costs and (B) contract specifications over the remaining period of each PFI contract; what the outcomes were of such discussions in respect of each such secure training centre; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: The Minister for the Cabinet Office has been leading a programme of negotiation with the Government's top suppliers. This work was identified as a key element of the package of measures designed to deliver £6.2 billion of savings during 2010-11, and involves discussions across the portfolio of contracts each supplier holds with central Government. The specific details of these discussions are the subject of memorandum of understanding between the Cabinet Office and the suppliers which was completed in commercial confidence and can not be divulged.
	In addition the Youth Justice Board is engaging in ongoing discussions with all providers of secure accommodation and associated services it commissions, to ensure they provide the best possible services for young people while ensuring value for money.

Shoplifting: Reoffenders

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the rate of reoffending among those convicted of offences related to shoplifting.

Crispin Blunt: The one year reconviction rate for adults convicted of offences related to shoplifting was 78.3% for the 2008 cohort. The cohort includes adult offenders discharged from custody or commencing a court order between January and March of 2008. This is the latest available published data.
	More information on the reoffending rates is available from the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm

HOME DEPARTMENT

Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on her proposal to incorporate the Child Exploitation Online Protection centre in the new National Crime Agency.

Theresa May: holding answer 17 November 2010
	 I have received a number of representations on the proposals to incorporate the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) into the National Crime Agency (NCA). I will announce the Government's decision on the functions of the NCA in due course.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate she has made of the average cost to her Department of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	From May 2010 until 31 October 2010, the Home Office responded to 118 out of 353 (33.4%) questions for answer on a named day before or on that day.
	At the time the House rose on 18 November 2010, 24 questions for answer on a named day, tabled prior to 12 November 2010, had not yet been answered.
	It is not possible to make an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering questions for answer on a named day. However, HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions. Their estimated average cost for written questions (as of 20 January 2010) is £154. This estimation does not differentiate between the types of written questions. Home Office officials are advised not to exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £800 for drafting each question.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate she has made of the average cost to her Department of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	From May 2010 until 31 October 2010, the Home Office responded to 677 out of 975 (69.4%) questions for ordinary written answer within seven working days and 896 out of 975 (91.2%) questions for ordinary written answer within 14 working days.
	At the time the House rose on 18 November 2010, 34 questions for ordinary written answer, tabled prior to 12 November 2010, had not yet been answered.
	It is not possible to make an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering an ordinary written question. However, HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions.
	Their estimated average cost for written questions (as of 20 January 2010) is £154. This estimation does not differentiate between the types of written questions. Home Office officials are advised not to exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £800 for drafting each question.

Domestic Violence: EU Action

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to include the issue of domestic violence against older women in the EU strategy for combating violence against women; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The EU strategy to combat violence against women and girls has not yet been issued so we are unable to comment on the content. However our understanding is that the strategy will cover all forms of violence against all women and girls and we will therefore work to ensure that the text reflects those aims.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision she plans to ensure foreign nationals from outside the EU coming to the UK to learn English in language training schools are not affected by the Government's measures to reduce the level of net immigration.

Damian Green: English language students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are permitted to come to the UK to study English under both tier 4, the student tier of the points based system, and also through the student visitor route. As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in her statement to Parliament of 23 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 169-186, the Government will shortly launch a public consultation on students which will be an opportunity to consider further the position of English language students.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the legislative framework in respect of human trafficking.

Damian Green: The Government keep under constant review the legislative framework on human trafficking.
	The Government are committed to tackling this heinous crime and our legislation is compliant with both the Palermo Protocol and the Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings.

Members: Correspondence

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to write to the hon. Member for Morley and Outwood in response to the operational questions raised during her statement to the House on 1 November 2010,  Official Report, column 635, on the aviation security incident.

Theresa May: holding answer 8 November 2010
	I refer the right hon. Gentlemen to my letter to him of 11 November 2010, a copy of which I will place in the Library.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates since her appointment she has met  (a) the Mayor of London,  (b) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and  (c) the Minister for the Olympics to discuss security issues for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

Theresa May: holding answer 11 November 2010
	I met the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend/the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) on 12 July to discuss the safety and security of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. My noble Friend, the Minister of State for Security and Counter-Terrorism and I regularly meet the Mayor of London, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media Sport and the Olympics and the Minister of State for the Olympics including through the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Home Affairs (Olympic and Paralympic Games) at which security issues are regularly discussed.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the value for money of the £1,500 payments made to foreign prisoners who agree to leave the country.

Damian Green: holding answer 23 November 2010
	The facilitated return scheme (FRS) is a cost-effective means to facilitate quick returns of foreign national prisoners who chose not to exercise their appeal rights.
	The chief executive of UK Border Agency, Lin Homer, wrote in detail about the facilitated return scheme and the savings generated to the public purse in her letter to the Home Affairs Committee of February 2010. A copy of this letter is available in the Library of the House.
	The facilitated return scheme accounted for approximately 30% of the 5,530 foreign national prisoner removals from the UK in 2009, and for around 50% of the 2425 foreign national prisoner removals in quarters 1 and 2 of 2010.
	Due to the current economic situation it has been decided to reduce the value of assistance offered under FRS and bring the scheme in line with other assisted voluntary return programmes. Although the impact of the changes is unknown we anticipate that it will continue to deliver significant foreign national prisoner removals and offer good value for money to the taxpayer.
	The financial assistance in the country to which the individual returns is a low-cost option when compared against post-release support in this country. There is a saving to the UK Border Agency in terms of caseworking costs and potential transfer to and detention in an Immigration Removal Centre, at a cost of £110 per night, if deportation cannot take place immediately at the end of an individual's sentence. The scheme offers an incentive for foreign national prisoners to comply with the travel documentation process, and to leave the UK before the opportunity arises to frustrate removal with various legal barriers. FRS not only saves money but also keeps our streets safer.

UK Human Trafficking Centre

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed by the UK Human Trafficking Centre.

Damian Green: Since 1 April 2010, the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) has been an integral part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). As of end October 2010, there were 34 staff working for the UKHTC, of whom 23 are directly employed SOCA officers and 11 are seconded officers. There are also staff throughout SOCA who undertake activity against organised immigration crime, including human trafficking, as part of other duties.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

House of Lords

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will assess the effects on the Government's constitutional reform programme of the recent proposed increase in the number of Members of the House of Lords.

Mark Harper: The new appointments announced on 19 November are consistent with the coalition programme. The programme sets out the objective of creating a second chamber that is reflective of the share of the vote secured by the political parties in the last general election.
	The cross-party Committee on House of Lords reform is considering proposals for a wholly or mainly elected second chamber. The Government will publish a draft bill early next year.

House of Lords

Charles Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will bring forward legislation in the current Parliament to reduce the number of Ministers in the  (a) House of Commons and  (b) House of Lords with effect from the start of the next Parliament.

Mark Harper: I refer my hon. Friend to the response given to him by the Deputy Leader of the House at Committee stage of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill on 25 October 2010,  Official Report, column 130.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Minister for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate she has made of the average cost to the Government Equalities Office of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	From May 2010 until 31 October 2010, the Government Equalities Office responded to 13 out of 22 (59%) questions for answer on a named day before or on that day.
	At the time the House rose on 18 November 2010, one question for answer on a named day, tabled prior to 12 November 2010, had not yet been answered.
	It is not possible to make an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering questions for answer on a named day. However, HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions. Their estimated average cost for written questions (as of 20 January 2010) is £154. This estimation does not differentiate between the types of written questions. Government Equalities Office officials are advised not to exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £800 for drafting each question.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Minister for ordinary written answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate she has made of the average cost to the Government Equalities Office of answering a question for ordinary answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions for the 2009-10 session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	From May 2010 until 31 October 2010, the Government Equalities Office responded to 38 out of 60 (63.3% ) questions for ordinary written answer within seven working days and 56 out of 60 (93.3%) questions for ordinary written answer within 14 working days.
	At the time the House rose on 18 November 2010, 12 questions for ordinary written answer, tabled prior to 12 November 2010, had not yet been answered.
	It is not possible to make an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering an ordinary written question. However, HM Treasury conducts an annual indexation exercise of the cost of written and oral parliamentary questions. Their estimated average cost for written questions (as of 20 January 2010) is £154. This estimation does not differentiate between the types of written questions. Government Equalities Office officials are advised not to exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £800 for drafting each question.

Equality Act 2010

William Bain: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what legal advice she sought from the Attorney-General on her decision not to implement Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: The advice of the Attorney-General was not sought on this issue.

Government Equalities Office: Expenditure

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many events the Government Equalities Office plans to hold in 2010-11; what estimate she has made of the cost under each budget heading of each such event; and how many staff will be involved in each such event.

Lynne Featherstone: From 12 November 2010 the following events have been planned by the Government Equalities Office to take place in 2010-11.
	On 17 November the Minister for Women and Equality gave a major speech to key partners on equality setting out the Government's new approach to equality and fairness. We estimate the cost of this event at about £700 which covers the cost of the venue and audio equipment. Three GEO staff members were involved in its organisation.
	On 22 November GEO organised a consultation event with women's organisations from across the UK to discuss key issues relating to the UK's seventh convention on the elimination of discrimination against women (CEDAW) periodic report, which is due to be submitted to the United Nations' CEDAW Committee in May 2011. We estimate the cost of this event to cost £226 and two members of staff will be involved.
	On 29 November, 8 and 9 of December we are organising three informal consultation roundtables to seek the views of women's organisations on the Government's new approach to engaging with women. This follows the abolition of the Women's National Commission. We estimate each event will cost about £320.00, with the involvement of two members of staff for each event.
	On 6 December we are holding a summit to seek the views from the transgender community on the content of the first Government Strategy for Transgender Equality. We estimate the event will cost a maximum £1,000 and two members of staff will be involved.

Women's National Commission

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the  (a) capital and  (b) resource costs of the decision to abolish the Women's National Commission.

Lynne Featherstone: We announced the outcome of the cross-Government review of all public bodies on 14 October. The review was conducted in order to deliver our commitment, as set out in the coalition agreement, to reduce the cost and number of quangos. As part of that review, it has been decided that the Women's National Commission will be closed down at the end of this year (2010) and its core functions brought into the Government Equalities Office (GEO).
	A new approach to engaging with women in the UK will be developed and the GEO estimates that:
	 (a) set-up costs will be in the region of £239,000;
	 (b) operating costs thereafter are expected to be c£188,000.
	This would mean that after set-up costs, there would be savings in the region of £500,000 on annual operating costs.